Tales of Reaver
by JainaSolo86
Summary: This is my first Fanfic ever. Since I played the Fable games I have been interested in its lore and its characters, especially Reaver. I think that there are gaps in his life that need to be filled, especially the times before he actually became the ruthless character that we know. This is my attempt to tell his story. Hope you enjoy it! Fable belongs to Lionhead.
1. Chapter 1

It was a beautiful day in Oakvale. The sun was shining up in the sky, bathing rivers and lakes with a golden reflection. One of the sun rays entered through a nearby window, waking Dainara up. She opened her eyes slowly and stretched on her bed. An elegant white cat jumped on her bed purring happily.

-_Good morning, Oakleaf. I guess it's time to get up._

Dainara quickly got dressed and looked out the window. Her beautiful long red hair waved with the morning breeze. It was indeed a beautiful day and she couldn´t wait to go out for her daily walk.  
She went downstairs, where some servants were busy doing their chores. One of them, an old woman with a friendly and motherly face, seemed to be the one in charge.  
Dainara approached her with a wide smile.

-_Good morning, Nana._

The woman turned and smiled back.

-_Good morning, my child. Your breakfast will be ready in a moment._

-_Can you wrap it up for me? It´s a lovely day outside, I'll eat it on my way._

Nana smiled.

-_Of course, my dear, as usual. It´s been years since you last had breakfast in the palace, as a young lady should._

-_A young lady should enjoy her days too, Nana._- Dainara said while picking up the wrapped food- _See you later!_

-_Be careful out there! Don´t leave town! They say some pirates arrived last night!_- shouted Nana as Dainara left.

But they both knew where Dainara was going, to the same place where she had been going for the past four years: Sandwood Lake, a charming little lake in the very heart of Barrow Fields.  
Dainara loved this place. Very few people knew of its existence or bothered to go there, so she had made it her private refuge. There, she felt at peace, she could cry as much as she wanted without anyone looking at her with pitiful eyes, she could tell her secrets to the birds and the fishes, she could lie down on the grass, close her eyes and forget about the world. She discovered it by chance four years ago, when she was just 14 and she was running away from her palace on that dreadful day…

Dainara was the daughter of Sigmund of Oakvale, a nobleman who was always generous to the town people. Her mother had died in childbirth, and she had been raised by her father and Nana, her nursemaid, who loved her as a daughter.  
Dainara was truly happy, until one day her father was called to join his fellow noblemen in a war. Week after week, month after month, year after year, Dainara awaited for her father's return.  
Until one rainy morning, she saw some knights approaching the palace.

-_Father!_

But her father was not there. One of the knights kneeled down and handed her a medallion.

-_I'm sorry, my lady._

Dainara started running as fast as she could, ignoring Nana's shouts. She wanted to disappear, she couldn´t accept this reality.

She had been running for hours when she didn´t have any strength left in her body and she fainted. When she woke up, the first thing she saw was the lake and, for some reason, she felt some peace inside, as if in this little place of the world, nothing bad could happen. After that day, she had been coming here everyday.

Dainara arrived at Sandwood Lake and sat down on its shore.

-_Good morning everyone! -_ she said to the birds signing on the trees and the lake's fishes- _I have brought breakfast._

She opened the wrapped package and tossed some bread on the water and the grass.  
She started eating her breakfast in silence. Suddenly, she had became serious and thoughtful.

-_You know? Today it's exactly four years since they announced us father's death. Of course Nana must remember that too, but she didn´t mention anything so as to not make me sad…But I do remember, how could I forget? I think of him every day of my life, I miss him dearly._

As if they had understood her speech, the birds stopped their melodies.  
Dainara couldn´t stop the tears coming to her eyes.

-_Why did he have to go to such stupid war? We were at peace in Oakvale, he should have refused. How could he do this to me? Why did he abandon me?_

Dainara started crying disconsolately.

Suddenly, a voice came from behind some trees.

-_It should be considered a crime when a beautiful young lady cries._


	2. Chapter 2

Dainara wiped her tears with her hands and turned around immediately.

-_Who said that?_

A young man appeared from behind the trees. His hair was dark brown and a bit messy. His look was very intense and he had a smirk on his face.

-_I'm sorry to intrude, my lady._- he said smoothly- _I didn´t mean to scare you._

Dainara looked at him. His demeanor, his confident smile, the way he looked at her, his posture…there was something about him that made Dainara unable to move, unable to speak.

Suddenly, she noticed his clothes and his weapon. Then she remembered Nana's words as she was leaving in the morning.

-_You are a pirate!_- she said standing up as fast as she could.

-_At your service_- he said while bowing to her.

Dainara started walking backwards in fear.

-_Please, don´t hurt me! I don´t have anything of value on me._

She prayed that he didn´t notice her father's medallion, which she was wearing hidden inside her clothes.

-_Why must everyone assume that I want to rob them just because I'm a pirate?_- he said while approaching her- _Such bad fame we have._

Dainara remained silent while she went on walking backwards.  
The young pirate stopped walking and looked at her.

-_Please, don´t be afraid of me. I'd never hurt a beautiful lady like yourself_- he then sat down on the lake's shore- _I didn´t even know there was someone here. I just wanted to rest in a peaceful place._

Dainara stopped and looked at him with distrust. He looked back at her.

-_Come, sit down with me._

-_No_- she said loudly.

-_Oh, come on, my dear. You seemed to be in need of someone to listen to you. You know, talking to birds and fishes is fine, but hardly useful. They are not the talking kind._

Dainara got angry after this remark. How dared he spy on her? For how long had he been listening to her speech?

-_You were spying on me!_- she said angrily- _And how dare you make fun of me?_

The sight of her being angry seemed to amuse him.

-_I was just passing by, it was a coincidence that I heard you. And I was just jesting. You seemed to be quite upset before, I just wanted to cheer you up a little._

Dainara just stood there, not knowing what to say. What did this man want? Why had he come here?

-_Now, come, sit down by my side. I'll keep you company._- he said while tapping a spot next to where he was sitting.

-_How do I know this is not a trap to rob me?_- she said distrustfully.

He smiled at her.

_- Well, you may say that I'm off duty now, I'm resting. Plus, you said it yourself, you have nothing of value on you._

Her eyes were fixed on the sword attached to his waist.

-_Oh, I see_- he said realizing the problem. He unsheathed his sword slowly and tossed it far from him- _Now I'm defenceless. Will you trust me now?_

Dainara looked at him. He was a pirate, but he didn´t seem a bad man.

She sat down by the lake, leaving some distance between them. She didn't know very well why, instead of running away as fast as she could, she had stayed there. Maybe it was because this was her place and somehow she had to defend it from intruders.  
Or maybe it was because, for some reason, this man had something that intrigued her…

The two remained in silence for a while: she went on eating her breakfast and he looked at the horizon with a thoughtful expression. From time to time, Dainara would glance at him suspiciously and, even though he wouldn´t look back at her, she'd swear he was smirking.

Finally, he decided to break the silence.

-_So, do you come here often?_

-_Everyday_- she replied avoiding eye contact.

-_It's a lovely place, I can see why you like it so much._

She didn´t say anything. He went on talking.

-_I've been here in Barrow Fields a thousand times but I'd never noticed this place. Finding it now was quite a coincidence._

She was staring at the lake, still silent.

-_Who knows? Maybe it was destiny._- he said while looking at her.

After this comment, she looked at him.

-_What do you mean?_

He smiled.

-_Maybe I was meant to meet you, that's why I found it._

-_That's ridiculous_- she replied- _I don't believe in destiny._

-_Oh, and why is that? Don´t you think that some things are just meant to happen?_

-_Some things just happen by chance, out of luck or bad luck, that's all._

-_I'm sorry to disagree, my lady. I strongly believe that everything in this world happens for a reason, it is meant to happen._

-_So can you tell me the reason for my father's death?_- she said more loudly than she would have wanted.

He looked at her with a serious expression.

-_I didn't say that everything that happens is pleasant or fair._

After a moment of silence, he added:

-_I'm sorry about your father, I didn´t mean to upset you._

She remained silent, staring back at the lake.

-_Do you want to talk about it?_

-_I think that you've heard enough about my life for today._

He smiled shyly.

-_Well, for what it's worth, I'm sorry. I understand how you must feel._

-_No, you don´t_- she replied angrily- _You don´t know what it's like to lose your family, to see everyone around you pity you for being an orphan, to see children holding hands with their parents when you know that you'll never do that again…_

Her eyes were full of tears but she was trying to hold them back.

He looked at her and smiled sadly.

-_You'd be surprised..._


	3. Chapter 3

- _Well?_- Dainara asked after a few minutes of silence.

-_ Well what?_

-_ I don´t know. You seemed to be about to tell me a story._

-_ A story?_

Dainara felt confused.

_- Yes, well…a sad story about your life or something._

The young pirate laughed.

_- My dear girl, you seem to be forgetting I'm a pirate! Pirates don´t get all emotional telling heartbreaking tales about their past. The only tales I can tell you are about my deeds and adventures._

Dainara felt both embarrassed and afraid. For a while, she had totally forgotten that this man was a pirate.  
She shouldn´t be telling him things about her life, she shouldn´t even be here!  
She stood up suddenly.

-_I must leave…it´s late…I shouldn´t be here._

The young pirate stood up as well.

_- Wait, don´t leave just yet._

Dainara started walking away from the lake at a fast pace.

-_I don´t think I got your name_- he shouted.

Dainara stopped walking. She didn´t know why she had stopped, but she felt like an unknown force held her there, still, unable to move. She turned around and looked at him. Now that she was further away from him she dared to look at him longer.

His traits were elegant, not what you´d expect from a pirate. His eyes gazed intensely and he had a self-confident demeanor.  
He was wearing a white half-buttoned shirt, sturdy black pants, worn-out boots and a belt with a sheath, where his sword was placed before.  
He couldn´t be much older than her.  
His dark hair was waving in the breeze while he looked at her.

-_Dainara_- the words slipped from her lips while she was looking at him.

-_Will you come here again tomorrow, Dainara?_ - he asked.

-_Maybe_.

He smiled.

-_Then maybe I'll be here too._

Dainara turned around and started running as fast as she could back home.

When Dainara reached her palace, she was exhausted. She leant against the wall to catch her breath and made her way to the back door. She didn´t want anyone to see her, she didn´t feel like talking to anyone now. She opened the door carefully and sneaked inside. She crossed the empty kitchen and made her way to the stairs.  
When she was halfway up the stairs, a voice startled her.

-_Dainara?_

Nana looked at her with a surprised expression.

-_You came back early today. Did something happen?_

-_No_- she said more loudly than she had wanted- _I just got tired._

Dainara was trying her best to stay calm and sound convincing, but she could feel her heart beating so fast and her hands shaking.

Nana didn´t seem convinced.

-_You are pale. You look like you´ve seen a ghost._

Dainara smiled nervously.

-_I'm fine, really. I just want to rest._

-_Look, child, I´ve known you since the day you were born. You cannot lie to me._- Nana said seriously- _So tell me what happened right away._

Dainara knew that Nana wouldn´t stop unless she told her what was wrong.

-_Well…I didn´t want to worry you, because it's not important. Today, when I was in the lake…a hobbe appeared and I got scared._

She had never lied to Nana. Never. But now she had lied to her. Dainara felt bad about it as soon as she finished her sentence.

-_A hobbe? By Avo! I knew one day something would happen to you in such a lonely place._

-_It´s alright, he was unarmed and he was alone. You know there are no hobbes in Barrow Fields. Probably he was lost. He was as scared as me._

Nana seemed more reassured.

-_Oh, my child, be careful out there…if anything was to happen to you…_

-_Nothing will, Nana, don´t worry._

Lies, lies, lies. That´s all she could think about as she entered her room. Why did she do such a thing? Why didn´t she tell the truth to Nana? It´s true that meeting a pirate was more dangerous than meeting a lost hobbe, but what would have happened if she had told her the truth? What was she afraid of? At the most she would have forbidden her from going to the lake until the pirates were gone. But she wouldn´t have minded that…would she?

Oakleaf rubbed herself against her legs and meowed.

-_I'm not going there tomorrow anyway…_


	4. Chapter 4

_- That was quite a meeting_- said the young pirate as he saw her leaving.

When she disappeared in the horizon, he sat down by the shore and looked up to the sky.

He had never really been to Barrow Fields, he had always preferred places close to the sea, where he could feel the salty breeze, the waves crashing against the rocks, the smell of wet wood of the ships: where he could feel freedom. But today he had felt like wandering around the forests for some reason, and that's how he found her.  
Destiny, he thought, everything happens for a reason.

He wondered who this young girl was. By the way she was dressed, she must come from a wealthy family. Maybe a noble? He also noticed that she was wearing a golden medallion, but he hadn't mentioned anything so as not to make her believe he wanted to rob her.

He only knew one thing for certain: she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen and he'd do anything to see her again.

The birds were singing in the nearby trees.

- _Do you think she'll come tomorrow? You seem to be old friends, you must know her quite well_- he said with a funny tone.

The birds kept singing their melodic tune.

-_I'm sure your answer was so interesting. Pity I can´t speak your language. Well, I suppose I must wait until tomorrow._

He then got up, picked his sword and made his way back to the ship.

-_Hey, kid! I've been looking fer ye everywhere! Where ye been?_

An older pirate approached him as he got closer to the ship. His clothes were dirty and old, even though they looked like they had been expensive and elegant once. A lot of his teeth were missing and some had been replaced with silver teeth.

-_Hey, Silver_- he replied- _I just went for a walk._

The pirate laughed loudly.

-_A walk he says! We pirates don´t go for walks! We cheat, we drink, we loot, we fight, we reave. Walks are for sissies!_

The young pirate looked at him with disapproval.

-_You heard what the Captain said. We are here to get supplies, to take what we really need, no pillage, no killings._

Silver grunted.

-_The Captain don´t know what fun is!_- he then smiled maliciously, showing all his silver teeth-_ But the Captain is not here now, is he? We can do as we please, kid! Come on, come with me to the village to get us some loot!_

He moved to make his way to the village but a sword on his back stopped him.

-_No_- the young pirate said firmly-_ I won´t disobey the Captain´s orders and you won´t either._

Silver laughed.

_- Or what, kid? Are ye going to kill me? Ye don´t have the guts!_

-_We'll just take what we need_- he replied firmly still holding his sword.

-_And just how do ye plan on getting the goods, huh? Will ye ask them nicely?_- Silver said defiantly.

-_We´ll take them from unguarded storages or farms, without violence or bloodshed_- he replied.

Silver turned around and pushed the sword away.

-_Ye are no fun, kid. Some pirate ye are! Ye know? We should give ye a proper pirate name, something that fits yer nature…Reaver! That's it! We should call ye Reaver, cuz ye reave real nice!_

Silver started laughing so loudly.

The young pirate looked at him with hate and walked away.

-_Let's go_- he said dryly.

When they arrived to the outskirts of Oakvale, they saw a lonely farm. Noone seemed to be around. Slowly, they sneaked into the farm and started taking all they needed: food, water, tools, weapons and some gold coins.  
As they were taking the supplies, they heard footsteps approaching the door.

-_Come on, let's get out of here_- the young pirate said.

-_Wait, maybe the lad has more gold on him!_- said Silver.

-_Let's go!_- he replied pulling Silver out of the farm through a nearby window.

In the way back, Silver grunted endlessly.

-_Blimey! I can´t believe we didn't rob the lad! Ye have always been weak, but now ye are weaker than evar!_

-_I just do what it´s necessary_- he replied firmly.

-_Then ye should have robbed the lad! We need the coin and he had it on him!_- said Silver loudly.

-_I will not use violence unnecessarily_- he said- _Especially not here…Oakvale is my hometown._

Silver stopped walking and laughed annoyingly.

-_His hometown he say! That's why ye went fer a walk before, didn´t ye? Did ye miss mommy and daddy, kid? Did ye go to tell them that their little Reaver was back home?_

-_Shut up!_-he said pointing his sword to Silver- _And stop calling me that despicable name…I have my own._

Silver smirked.

-_This is the second time today that ye point me with yer sword, kid. Maybe there's still hope fer ye._

The young pirate looked at him fiercely, sheathed his sword and went back to the ship.

In the night, laying down on his bunk, he thought of Dainara. Would he see her again?


	5. Chapter 5

In the morning, the sun shone more tan ever.

Dainara was looking out the window thoughtfully, resting her head on her hand. I t was a perfect day to go to Sandwood Lake but...what if he was there? She couldn't risk spending the morning with a pirate again, what if he was dangerous? Although he didn't seem dangerous…He had been quite friendly with her…and he was so handsome…what if she never saw him again?

Dainara moved away from the window and started walking around her room nervously.

-_I don't believe I'm even considering this!_- she said- _If Nana knew…she'd kill me!_

Oakleaf approached her purring and meowed. Dainara kneeled to caress the cat.

-_You're right, Oakleaf. He probably won't show up, he's a pirate after all and there's nothing interesting for him in the lake. Yesterday he was just teasing me. I shouldn't let him interfere with my plans._

She got up and immediately got dressed.

She went downstairs, where Nana and some servants were busy with their chores, as usual.

-_Good morning, Nana! Is my takeaway breakfast ready?_

Nana looked at her with a hint of worry on her face.

-_Good morning, child._

Dainara approached her.

-_What's wrong? You seem worried._

-_Well…I was hoping that today you would have decided to stay at home._

Dainara looked at her confused.

-_And why would I do that?_

-_Because of the hobbe, of course! It gave you quite a fright yesterday._

The hobbe…Dainara remembered the lies she had told Nana and felt guilty.

-_Don't worry, Nana. I already told you that it was nothing._

-_And thank Avo it was nothing! But maybe it was not just a random encounter; maybe they have a hideaway around the area. You know what hobbes are like, they are like a pest, they're everywhere!_

Nana had taken it more seriously than Dainara had expected.

-_Oh, please, Nana. You know that Barrow Fields doesn´t have many caves, hobbes cannot live there._

Nana didn´t look reassured at all.

-_You never know, child, maybe they have found some other place to live around there. I don't want you to go there for a while._

Dainara started getting nervous.

-_Please, Nana, today it's a perfect day to go to the lake. I'm not going to ruin my plans for some filthy hobbe._

-_I'm not letting you leave the palace today, Dainara_- Nana said firmly- _I'm sorry._

Dainara was now quite nervous. Would she really force her to stay home?

-_I'm going there!_- she shouted defiantly.

-_No, you're not. You'll be angry but at least you'll be safe._

-_I want to go there!_- she shouted again.

-_You'll go in due time, don't worry. The lake will always be there. And that's my final word.- _Nana said turning around to go on with her chores.

-_I need to see him!_

The words surprised even Dainara herself. Nana turned around with a confused expression.

-_The lake…I mean that I need to see it…It's important for me, it makes me feel fine…you know that I've been going there every day since my father died, no matter what._

Nana approached her and caressed her hair.

-_I know that, my little girl. It's just that…if something was to happen to you…_

Dainara took Nana´s hand and held it.

-_I'm not a little girl anymore, I can take care of myself. Nothing will happen to me, I promise._

Nana smiled.

-_Sometimes I forget that you are a woman now, even though you'll always be my little girl._

-_And I always want to be your little girl. I love you, Nana._

-_I love you too, my child._

Dainara hugged her affectionately.

-_I'll be back by lunch time._

In the way to the lake, Dainara thought about what she had said. Why did she say that she needed to see him? She hadn't admitted it Nana, of course, but she knew very well that she didn't mean the lake.  
It was ridiculous, really absurd. He was a pirate, a simple pirate, and no matter how friendly he had been with her, a pirate has surely done some evil deeds one way or another. Plus, he just got there by chance yesterday, he didn't have any reason to go back there again. What was there that could interest a pirate? There were no treasures, no taverns, no goods to steal…and of course he wouldn't go there just to see her…that would be impossible, pirates are not interested in innocent young ladies, they prefer more…outgoing women.

Despite her conviction that he wouldn't be there, Dainara felt nervous as she got closer to the lake.

Finally, she arrived.

She looked all around the place, looking for him…but he was nowhere to be found. She approached the shore and looked among the nearby trees and bushes.  
Nothing, he was not there, she was right all along.  
She knew she should be happy and relieved, but somehow she felt disappointed.

She sat down by the shore and stared at the water thoughtfully. Why did she feel like this? What did she care? She had been naïve for thinking that maybe he would go there.

-_My, my, what a disappointed face!_- a voice said behind her- _Did you think I hadn't come?_

Dainara turned around quickly but she didn't see anyone.

-_Who said this? Where are you?_

-_Up here, my lady._

Dainara looked up and saw the young pirate sitting gracefully on a tree's branch.

-_What are you doing there?_- she said trying to hide her happiness for seeing him.

-_Well, I came here early this morning and waited for you for quite a long time. The view from the shore is quite nice, really, but I got bored of it and I wondered what the view would be like from up here. I liked it that much that I decided to wait for you here_- he looked at the horizon- _You should see it, it's really wondrous._

Dainara looked at the tree. She was not afraid of heights generally, but climbing up a tree was not among her favourite things to do.

-_No, thank you_- she replied.

-_Oh, come on, you'll really love it_- he insisted- _I can help you climb._

-_No, I'm fine down here._

The young pirate smiled.

-_Oh, dear, don´t tell me you're still afraid of me!_

-_I'm not afraid of you_- she said firmly.

-_Good_- he replied softly- _Because you shouldn't._

Their eyes met for a moment and they remained silent.  
Dainara could feel her cheeks blushing. She looked away, shyly.

-_So, you said you were waiting for me_- she said- _What if I hadn´t come?_

-_I knew you´d come_- he said smiling to her.

-_How did you know?_- she said now unable to look away.

-_I just knew_- he said softly.

Dainara felt unable to move or speak. For some reason, this young man had this effect on her.

Finally, she managed to say:

-_Are you always so sure of everything?_

-_Not always. But I was sure of that and now I'm sure you'll love the view from here. Come on, come up here._

Dainara looked at him suspiciously.

-_I'm not sure I should_.

-_Let's have a look at our current situation, shall we? We basically have two options: you either come up here and we enjoy the view or I come down and you tell me about your life. As I told you, I'm bored of the shore already. I've been admiring it for a long time before you arrived._

Dainara didn't really feel like talking about herself, but she didn't want to go up the tree either. She looked at him unsure.

-_Come on_- he said smiling and offering his hand to her in order to help her climb- _I promise I'll be good._

She stepped back.

-_What is that supposed to mean?_

He laughed.

-_I merely jest. Hold my hand and grab this lower branch._

Dainara approached the tree slowly, grabbed the branch and placed her hand on his. She was afraid of climbing but somehow, as soon as she had touched his hand, she had felt that nothing could go wrong, that she was safe, that he would protect her…

Climbing the tree was not as difficult as Dainara had thought. Even though she was a young noble and most of the time she would wear beautiful dresses, when she went out to the lake she would wear more practical clothes, generally a comfortable dress, the lower part opened in the front and leggings, letting her legs move free. Her clothes were elegant albeit simple.

When she reached the branch, she sat down next to him. There was not a lot of space to sit so, although she felt shy and uncomfortable, she had to sit quite close to him. She hadn't thought of that before climbing…maybe it would have been better to tell him about her life after all.

Dainara looked down. It was quite a fall from up there.

-_If you are afraid you can hold my hand_- he said.

-_No_- she replied abruptly- _I'm fine._

Dainara looked at the scenery. He was right, the view was really breathtaking from there. The view had amazed her so much that she didn't notice that he was admiring her, her expressions, her movements, her beauty, her pure innocence…He felt like he could be admiring her forever.

-_The view is so beautiful_- she said still looking at it.

-_You are so beautiful_- he told her.

She looked at him, her cheeks blushing.

-_You said you'd be good._

The comment made him smile.

-_My sweet girl, I just paid you a compliment! I believe that does qualify as good behavior._

Dainara blushed even more.

-_Well…thank you. I'm sorry, I'm not used to compliments, especially from…men._

-_I find that hard to believe. You are a very beautiful young lady indeed. Someone would have to be blind not to see it._

At this point, Dainara felt the heat on her face.

-_Well…I have never really had boys around me…I never really had male friends as a child._

She said playing with some leaves, unable to look at him.

The young pirate didn't say anything. He was just looking at her, captivated by her pure beauty.  
The silence made Dainara even more uncomfortable, so she tried to make some conversation.

-_So…pirates must know a lot of people…everywhere. You go to a lot of places._

As soon as she said it, she realized how stupid her statement was.

-_Oh, indeed we do_- he replied- _Although not everyone welcomes us. In fact, very few people do._

-_Oh, why?_

_I'm an idiot_- she thought to herself- _What_ _kind of question was that? Why can't I think straight?_

The question made him laugh.

-_Well, let's say that when we go somewhere we don't exactly behave as good citizens._

For some reason, this answer made Dainara remember that this young man was a pirate and she was with him, alone, in a lonely place, on top of a tree. She didn't know what evil deeds he was capable of doing: stealing, pillaging…maybe even killing.  
She looked at him with concern and tried to move away from him.

Without realizing, the words slipped from her lips.

-_Have you ever…?_- she stopped the question, afraid of the answer.

-_…killed someone?_- he finished it for her.

-_How did you know…?_- she said surprised.

-_I can see through you_- he smiled- _Plus, what else could be on your mind to scare you so much? You should have seen your face._

Dainara wished she was more capable of hiding her emotions.

-_No_- he said firmly- _I'm a pirate, not a murderer. I don't believe killing is a solution, it's better to outsmart your enemy to get what you want. That's what being a pirate means for me._

She looked at him speechless.

-_Bloodshed is for evil people, pirates or not, and I'm not evil…what do you think? Do I look evil to you?_

-_Well, I don't know you…you don't seem a bad person but…_

-_Have I been bad to you in all this time?_- he asked.

-_Well, no, but…maybe you don't kill but I bet you steal…and maybe you don't steal from me because you know that I have nothing of value on me._

-_Well, I wouldn't call this golden medallion you wear valueless…_- he said pointing at the hidden jewel.

Dainara immediately held it on her hand to protect it.

-_Don't worry, I'm not going to steal it_.

She looked at him suspiciously.

-_How can I be sure? We are alone here, no one would stop you from taking it, and I'm not strong enough to fight you._

He smiled and approached her.

-_Because I'd never do anything to hurt you_- he said softly.

-_It is a very valuable jewel. You'd get a lot of gold coins for it_.- she said trying to sound defiant, even though she was breathless by his words.

-_If I did that, I'd lose you…and you're the greatest treasure a man can find. I'm not risking losing you._

Dainara felt like his words touched her very soul. She remained there, motionless and speechless.

He suddenly looked up the sky.

-_It's almost noon, I must go. May I see you tomorrow again?_

She looked at him intently.

-_Yes_- she said finally.

He jumped down easily and stretched his hand to help her descend.

-_Then I'll see you tomorrow, my lady_- he said bowing to her.

She looked at him from the shore as he walked away.

Suddenly, she realized something.

-_I don't know your name_.

He turned around smiling.

-_Lucious. My name is Lucious._


	6. Chapter 6

As the young pirate was approaching his ship, he saw all his mates boarding it. He looked at them confused…where they already leaving? No one had told him anything in the morning. Suddenly, he saw Silver approaching him. He looked excited.

- _What happened? Are we leaving already?_

- _The Captain wants to speak to us urgently. So move along, kid!_- Silver said while pushing him towards the ship.

After boarding the ship, they went down the hold with the rest of the crew.  
Everyone seemed eager to know why the Captain had called for this sudden meeting. After everyone had entered the hold, the Captain entered and closed the hatch.

Captain André was a very tall man with an imposing bearing. It was difficult to guess his age, for his skin was tanned by the sun after all the years he had spent sailing, but he still had great strength and agility to fight. A long scar crossed the left side of his face, making him unable to open his left eye. But even with this disadvantage, no one could beat him in battle. His clothes were the most elegant of the whole crew: he was wearing a long red coat embroiled with gold, along with a while silk shirt, black leather pants and boots and a big hat decorated with feathers.

Lucious, the young pirate, admired him deeply. He considered him an honorable pirate: he loved sailing the seas and pillaging, but he always shared the goods equally among the crew; he would mainly steal from wealthy people; and most importantly: he never killed anyone unless there was a good reason.

Lucious owed him everything he was, even his life. If he hadn't protected him and accepted him in his crew, maybe now he wouldn't be alive…

Captain André walked to the middle of the room and started talking:

- _Ye must be wondering why I gathered ye here now_.

The crew remained silent, paying close attention to the Captain's words.

- _I'm afraid I haven't been totally honest with ye, lads. As ye know, we are in need of supplies and gold, but our stop in Oakvale is not a coincidence: I have a plan to get what we need here_.

The crew started mumbling. The young pirate felt uneasy: he trusted Captain André but what did he mean by that? Did he plan on stealing from the people of Oakvale? The Captain had never stolen gold from poor people.  
He went on speaking.

- _Silence! Last year, when we last came to Oakvale, I noticed something: while most rich houses are heavily guarded, there's one of them that hardly has guards. I believe it belongs to a nobleman who died in the battle of Southcliff. There must be a lot of gold and valuable items inside, and if my sources told the truth, only his daughter, some servants and a handful of guards live there. If we manage to break into the palace, our problems will be solved, mates!_

The crew cheered with excitement and praised the Captain's plan. They were so concentrated celebrating that no one noticed that the young pirate's face had paled with fear.

The Captain planned to break into a palace where a young lady, whose father had died in battle, lived…could it be her palace? She hadn´t really told him about her life, but he still remembered what she had said by the lake while he was hiding among the trees, and she really fit the description.  
Suddenly, he felt a hit on his arm.

- _What's wrong, kid?_ - Silver said- _Ye look like ye seen a ghost. Are ye afraid of breaking into houses?_

Silver laughed annoyingly.

The young pirate got up and left, ignoring Silver's comment. He had to do something, he had to find out whose palace it was…

- _We'll do it tomorrow night, when everyone is asleep, and then we'll depart _– continued Captain André.

- _Now, move yer lazy bums and get back to work! I'll decide who will do it and I'll tell ye tonight._

Everyone got up and went to continue with their chores.

Lucious remained still in a corner, thinking what to do. He couldn't risk it, he couldn't let anyone break into this palace if there was a possibility that it was Dainara's palace. Captain André was an honorable pirate, but not everyone was as honorable as him…some pirates of the crew were capable of killing just for the sake of it.

Captain André had just finished discussing something with his second in command, Balker, and he was about to leave the hold when he approached him.

- _Captain! May I speak to you?_

The Captain and Balker turned around and looked at him.

- _Alone_- the young pirate said looking briefly at Balker.

- _Balker, get back to work!_- said the Captain.

Balker looked at Lucious with hate but he complied.

- _Yes, Captain_.

The Captain looked at the young pirate with curiosity.

- _Well, what is it that ye want, boy?_

He looked at the Captain nervously.

- _Captain, you know that I'll always be grateful for everything you've done for me, and that I'll always be at your service_.

- _Hey, lad, did ye come here to praise me or do ye want something?_- said the Captain laughing.

- _Well, I wanted to talk to you about the break-in_.

- _What about it? It's a great idea, ain't it?_

- _Yes, of course, Captain. But I wanted to tell you that…I'd like to prove my worth and loyalty to you_.

The young pirate was trying to control his nerves. He had to convince the Captain, no matter what.

The Captain looked even more curious now.

- _And how do ye plan to do that?_

- _Well…I'd like you to let me do the break-in by myself_.

Lucious held his breath while the Captain looked at him speechless.

- _Are ye serious, lad?_- the Captain said finally- _This is a very important task, if something goes wrong…_

- _Nothing will, Captain_- the young pirate interrupted him- _I've learnt a lot from you in all these years. Plus, Oakvale is my hometown, I know every single corner of it and I can easily reach the palace unnoticed_.

The Captain looked unsure.

- _I don't know, boy…maybe I can let ye tag along Balker or Silver_.

- _No!_- he said abruptly- _Please, Captain, to prove my worth to you I must go alone_.

He looked at the Captain firmly, almost defiantly.

- _Alright, lad. Ye'll go alone to the break-in. I'll inform the crew tonight_.

Lucious felt relieved.

- _I'll not let you down, Captain_.

- _I hope not, boy. That's a big responsibility ye have now_.

The Captain left the hold, but the young pirate sat down on a nearby barrel. He had managed to convince the Captain to let him go but, if it was indeed Dainara's palace, how could he steal from her? He had made a promise to her: he'd never do anything bad to her and he wasn't going to break it. But if he didn't bring any gold or goods, what would the Captain say or do? Maybe he'd then send another pirate and he'd harm her…

- _Oh, dear, what can I do?_


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning, the sky was gray, as announcing that something bad was about to happen.

The young pirate had got up very early and now he was waiting for Dainara sitting by the shore of Sandwood Lake. He has hardly slept during the night; he had spent it thinking of a plan, thinking what to do if the palace he was supposed to break into was Dainara's house.

Finally, he had managed to come up with a plan. The plan was risky but he didn't have a choice. The only thing left to do was talk to her and find out about her life.  
He knew it would be difficult, she didn't really like talking about herself, but he had to try.

Lucious looked at the sky. He had learnt how to guess the time just by looking at the position of the sun, but today it was impossible to tell for the sky was full of clouds.

- _Come, please, come_- he said to himself anxiously.

He hoped she wouldn't come so late: he needed some time to carry out his plan in case it was necessary…And what if she didn't come at all? She told him she would come, but…

Suddenly, Lucious felt really nervous. He looked around: there was no sight of her.

-_Oh, damn! Where are you?_- he said.

-_Afraid that I didn't come?_

The young pirate turned around startled. Dainara was standing in front of him, her arms crossed and a teasing smirk on her lips. Her red hair waved in the breeze. She looked really beautiful. He approached her happily.

-_Of course not, my dear! I knew you would come_- he replied-_It was just that I couldn't wait any longer to see you again. Didn't you miss me?_

Dainara blushed.

-_Well…you are good company…so far._

Lucious laughed.

-_Oh well, that'll do for now._

She sat down by the shore next to him and started unwrapping a little package.

-_I brought you something_- she said.

-_Oh, really?_- Lucious smiled- _What is it?_

-_Well, since I always have breakfast here and now you come here with me, I felt bad not bringing you something to eat._

-_Oh, that's very considerate of you_- he said.

-_Well, actually when I was already on my way, I thought that maybe you had already had breakfast on…your ship_- she paused for a moment, remembering that he was a pirate and maybe he didn't like these girly things- _So it's alright if you don't want it_.

Lucious approached her smiling.

-_Are you joking? Of course I want to eat this breakfast. I didn't eat anything this morning, I'm starving!_- he lied to her, because while it was true that he hadn't managed to eat anything in the morning, the anxiety for the break in had taken any hunger he may have had.

Dainara smiled and handed him some muffins covered in chocolate, strawberry syrup and blueberry cream.

-_These muffins are Nana's specialty_- she said proudly- _Nana is my nursemaid._

-_They look delicious_- he took one of them and took a bite- _Correction: they ARE delicious!_

Dainara was pleased.

They both started having breakfast. Lucious knew that now it was the perfect moment to ask her about her life. She had already mentioned her nursemaid, so it was a good start…

-_So, you have a nursemaid?_- he asked.

-_Yes, I do_- she replied, with no intention to elaborate.

Maybe it was going to be more difficult than he had imagined…

-_Have you always had one?_- he asked.

-_Yes, I have always had Nana with me_.

-_I see_- he said- _And do you have any siblings?_

Dainara looked at him puzzled.

-_Why are you asking me all these questions?_

Lucious felt so nervous: it would definitely be difficult to get some information from her.

-_Well, we are friends, aren't we? But I don't really know anything about you. Friends are supposed to know some basic things about each other, wouldn't you agree?_

Dainara took another muffin and took a bite.

-_Then why don't you tell me about yourself? I only know that you are a pirate_- she replied defiantly.

The young pirate looked away. He didn't like talking about his past. A lot of memories, painful memories, came to his mind…

He looked at her and smiled.

-_Alright. Let's make a deal, shall we? I tell you about myself and then you tell me about yourself_- the young pirate stretched his hand- _Deal?_

Dainara hesitated for a moment. Finally, she stretched her hand and joined his.

-_Deal._


	8. Chapter 8

The young pirate took a deep breath.

- _My name is Lucious, I'm a pirate and I was born and raised here in Oakvale. I don't have many friends but I get along with almost everyone in the crew. I love sailing and travelling to new places. And I think that's all there's to know about me_- he looked at her and smiled- _Oh, and I think that you are the most beautiful young lady in the world._

Dainara chuckled.

- _Not so fast Mr Pirate!_- she said- _You will have to answer my questions. You will have to answer my questions. This information you gave me is very superficial._

Lucious smiled but he was hoping that she didn't ask him about his past.

- _Fair enough. What would you like to know?_

Dainara remained thoughtful for a few seconds.

- _You said that you are from Oakvale, but I've never seen you around town. Where do you live? Or are you always travelling on the ship?_

The young pirate felt relieved to hear this question.

- _Well, I only come to Oakvale from time to time, when we have business here. I live on the ship along with my mates, I don't have any house of my own._

Dainara raised her eyebrows.

- _It must be tiresome to live on a ship, always travelling._

- _Oh well, I must admit that our bunkers are not the most comfortable bed ever, but I love the freedom pirate life gives me._- he replied proudly- _Anything else?_

- _Why did you become a pirate?_- she asked.

Lucious felt like something had hit his chest. He managed to fake a smile.

- _Well, I've told you that I love the freedom, haven't I?_

Dainara didn't look convinced.

- _But becoming a pirate is not an easy decision, people look down on them. What did your family say?_

Suddenly, the young pirate became so serious. He turned his head and looked at the lake. The clouds were disappearing and some sunrays reflected on the water.

- _I had no family_.

Dainara looked at him sadly.

- _I'm sorry_- she said- _I didn't mean to…_

- _It's alright. I told you that you could ask me whatever you wanted_- he said with a faint smile.

Dainara looked down. She knew she shouldn't ask him but…

- _What…what happened?_- she asked shyly- _Why didn't you have a family?_

Lucious was still staring at the lake. Somehow, looking at the fish swimming around and creating little waves on the surface made him feel better. He understood why Dainara liked coming here.

- _My parents…they were murdered._

- _Murdered?_- Dainara was shocked- _That's horrible! Who would do something like that?_

The young pirate took a little pebble from the floor and threw it at the lake.

- _Bandits_- he replied.

Dainara looked at the waves that were created by the pebble. She remained silent; she didn't want to ask him about it any further. She knew how much these things hurt…

He went on speaking.

- _I was just 10 years old. I had gone to school as I did every morning. I remember these times: we had a bandit raid almost every day. My mother was always asking me to be careful_- he paused for a moment- _There was a new bandit leader up in Twinblade's camp, a man who was bloodthirsty and cruel, a man whose greed knew no limits. In the past, bandit raids were a rare thing to happen in Oakvale…the last important one had happened in the Hero of Oakvale's times, when Twinblade still lived. But now it was different: it was rare the day when we had peace._

Dainara looked at him.

- _I remember those times. Father had to increase the number of guards._- she said.

He smiled gloomily.

- _Well, not all of us could afford guards to protect us_.

Dainara looked down ashamed.

- _That morning, before going to school, my mother asked me to be careful. She said that she had a bad feeling, and she handed me a little figurine of Avo to protect me. I just laughed and refused to take it, and I left for school. On my way, I saw my father from far while he worked the land and I waved my hand to say goodbye._- he looked down and started playing with the sand- _If only I had known that it was the last time I would see them…_

He took another pebble, but this time he threw it violently to the water.

He didn't like talking about his past and he had never told this whole story to anyone; it was so unbearable, so painful…But talking to her seemed so easy, so relieving…he felt like he could tell her anything.

- _When I came back from school…I saw a lot of people around my house. I was confused, I didn't know what had happened. A guard spotted me and he approached and kneeled before me. He asked if it was my house and I nodded. Then he told me "I'm sorry, kid". I started running towards my house, pushing everyone on my way_- he paused and sighed- _And I saw them…I saw both my parents lying lifeless on the floor in a pool of blood. I walked backwards in horror and I stepped on something: the figurine of Avo, the one my mother offered me and I rejected._- he reached for his pocket and took a little wooden figurine out- _I took it from the floor and run away as fast as I could, ignoring the shouts of the guards. I didn't want to go back there, I was so scared, so horrified._

Dainara's eyes were full of tears. She could have never imagined that such a cheerful and self-confident young pirate would have such a sad story in his past.  
She understood why he had felt the need to leave, to run away from everything…

- _I understand how you felt…I felt the same way when my father died. My father died in the battle of Southcliff. When some soldiers came to inform us of his death…I refused to accept it, I started running endlessly until I fainted. When I woke up, I was here, in Sandwood Lake; that's how I found it_.- Dainara looked at him sadly- _Bu at least I had Nana to take care of me…what did you do then? Did you have any relatives?_

Lucious shook his head.

- _Not that I knew of. I went on running until it was dark. I was really exhausted and I was lost. I saw a barn nearby and I sneaked inside. There was some food inside so I ate and fell asleep on a pile of straw, hiding in a corner. I lived there for almost two months…I really didn't know what to do. One day, while I was sleeping, some weird noises woke me up. Some pirates had entered the barn and were stealing goods. I was terrified, so I hid on the shadows. Suddenly, a hand pulled me out of the corner and threw me to the floor…When I opened my eyes, I found myself surrounded by pirates. I just managed to say "Please, don't kill me" while they laughed and unsheathed their swords. But then, he came_- his expression now changed to a proud face- _Captain André entered and ordered them to stop. He asked me why I was there and, when he learnt that I was an orphan, he offered me a job as an errand boy…And that's how I became a pirate._

Dainara felt very bad now: when they met, she had judged him badly just because he was a pirate and she hadn't considered why he had become one. But now she understood that he had no other choice.

Lucious felt so relieved after sharing this burden of his past with her. He felt that she was the only person in the world who could understand him. After all, she had felt the same way when her father died in the battle of Southcliff…Southcliff!...like the nobleman whose house he was supposed to break into tonight. He had got lost into his past that much that he had forgotten about his task.  
He looked up to the sky. The clouds had disappeared and the sun was shining high up in the sky. It was getting late.

- _Well, now it's your turn to ask me questions, I guess_- Dainara said.

- _I will only ask you 3 questions_- he said nervously.

- _Alright…_- Dainara sound it strange that now he didn't seem that interested in her life.

- _Was your father a nobleman?_

- _Yes, he was Sigmund of Oakvale_.

- _Do you have a mother and siblings?_

- _I'm an only child. And my mother died in childbirth_- she felt sad when she mentioned her mother.

- _Who lives with you?_

- _I live with Nana and some servants…well, and some guards too…but what kind of questions are those?_- Dainara felt confused.

There was no doubt: the house he was supposed to break into tonight was indeed her house. He got up suddenly.

- _I must go_.

- _What's wrong? What's the hurry?_- Dainara said alarmed.

- _Nothing, it's nothing…I just remembered that I have something to do and it's getting late_- he started walking away- _I'll see you soon._

Dainara felt even more confused.

- _Soon? Will you come again tomorrow?_

But the young pirate had already disappeared from her sight.


	9. Chapter 9

Lucious knew everything about Oakvale. He knew every street, every store, every farm…And he knew something else: that the mayor, Mordred Blackthorn, was not a good man.

Blackthorn had become the mayor of Oakvale fifteen years ago, after the previous mayor disappeared mysteriously. Blackthorn had never shown any real interest in the welfare of the town and had neglected it in critical moments like the times when bandits would raid Oakvale every day. There was only one thing he was interested in: money. And he made sure to get plenty of it by making up ridiculous taxes, tolls and accepting bribes.

There were rumors that he had allowed the bandits to wander around Oakvale in exchange of juicy bribes from their leader…

Lucious needed gold and goods to please Captain André and the crew. He had no intention of stealing from Dainara, but stealing from Mayor Blackthorn could even be considered a good deed.

The plan he had plotted was infallible: He would sneak into Blackthorn's manor and he would steal everything he needed from him. Then, he would go to Dainara's palace and he would bury the treasures nearby, so that in the night, when he went to "break into her palace", the crew thought he had stolen from there, for he was sure that, even though he was going to do it alone, Captain André would ask someone to escort him to the palace.

The young pirate stopped running and hid behind some bushes. The Mayor's manor stood in front of him. It was quite big, it was going to be difficult to find the treasure's chamber, but he would do his best.

It was not the first time that he broke into a house. Captain André wouldn´t let him take part in serious fights because he thought that he was "still too young and inexperienced" for such deeds, but he proved to be quite a skilled thief and the Captain took advantage of it. But it was the first time he was doing this alone and he felt nervous.

- _Alright, let's get moving_- he whispered.

He moved quietly around the manor to check for guards and possible ways to enter.

There were twenty guards in total: four at the main entrance, five in the back gardens, another five in the west side of the manor, five more on the east and one up in a watchtower.

Somehow, the young pirate hadn't expected that many guards at this time of the day. He remained thoughtful for a while and looked around. He spotted a half-opened window in the back of the manor. Two guards stood vigilant next to it. It was going to be difficult, but he was up to the challenge.

He took two little stones from the floor and smirked:

- _Let the game begin_.

He threw each of the stones in a different direction. The guards immediately unsheathed their weapons and looked around.

- _What was that?_- one of them said.

- _I don't know, but it came from there_- the other one replied pointing to the left.

- _Are you deaf? It clearly came from the other side_.

- _I'm pretty sure it came from around the well area on the left_.

- _Well, then I'm pretty sure you are as deaf as a post! It came from the big oak tree on the right_.

The guards seemed to be quite angry. The scene amused Lucious.

- _Fine! Do whatever you want but I'm checking the well over there!_

- _Good! I'll check the oak tree. The Mayor will be so pleased when he learns that I was the one who caught the noise-maker_.

- _We'll see about that!_

Each guard went towards a different direction mumbling things.  
When they disappeared from his sight, Lucious left from the bushes and climbed up the window nimbly.

The room was empty, so he entered. It seemed to be some kind of pantry filled with delicious food. He would have liked to take some with him, the crew would really appreciate it. But he didn't have time for that.

He approached the door and listened carefully. Everything was silent. He opened it slowly and looked outside: there was a long corridor and not a soul was there.

- _Now, where must the treasure's chamber be?_- he said thoughtfully.

He walked along the corridor, hiding in the shadows. It looked like a labyrinth, full of turns and dead ends. He was about to lose hope when suddenly he saw a big robust door ornamented with gold.

- _Got you!_- he said smirking.

He made his way fast towards the door. When he was about to reach it, a loud noise made him jump back into the shadows. He had got so excited after finding the door that he hadn't noticed the guard who sat down there, sleeping and snoring loudly.

- _Oh, great…now, what shall we do with you?_

He observed the scene carefully, planning what to do. Suddenly, he noticed something: the guard had the door's keys tied to his belt. If he could approach him enough, he would be able to take them from him.

He moved carefully and silently in the shadows, approaching the guard from behind. When he was right behind him, he stretched his hand and quickly took the keys. The guard moved slightly but he didn't wake up.

- _Well, so far, so good_.

He moved back into the shadows and started thinking of ways to get to the door unnoticed.

He could try to create a diversion to lure him away from the door, but maybe it would attract other guards' attention into the house and he didn't want that.

The other option was to approach the door and try not to wake the guard up, and it seemed to be the only possible solution.

It would be so difficult, a true challenge, but he knew he could do it, he was a very good thief.

He moved even more silently than before, almost floating in the darkness. When he was about to reach the door, he stopped and observed it: it had five locks, one next to the other. He really hoped that neither the locks nor the door made any noise.

He looked at the guard again: he was still sleeping.

- _Here we go_.

He held one of the keys and approached the door. He examined the locks and he noticed that each one was different and could only be opened with a specific kind of key. He examined the key he was holding.

- _This must be for the third lock…where is the first one?_- he searched carefully among them- _Here you are_.

He inserted it into the first lock and turned it slowly until a click was heard.

- _Only four to go_.

The guard snored loudly.

Quickly, he found the second and the third keys and repeated the process.

When Lucious was turning the forth key, it made a loud metallic noise.  
He quickly looked at the guard, who started moving and mumbling something. Fortunately, he just turned around and went on sleeping.

- _That was close_- thought the young pirate relieved.

He then held the last key and inserted it into the last lock.

- _Hey! What are you doing here? Guards!_

The guard had woken up and made his way towards him.

The key left the lock and fell to the floor. The young pirate quickly picked it up and was trying to insert it again when the guard started attacking him with his sword. He unsheathed his own sword and started fighting him.

He rarely took part in fights when doing missions with the crew, but he practiced sword fighting every day, so he was quite skilled.

Lucious managed to corner the guard and with a skillful movement he disarmed him.

He then ran back to the door and inserted the key into the lock.

Suddenly, a handful of guards appeared.

- _Drop your weapon!_- they shouted.

Lucious tried to turn the key but it seemed stuck.

- _Come on, come on_.

The guards were getting really close to him.

- _Drop your weapon and you may live!_

When the guards were about to reach him, the key turned and the door opened. Lucious entered the room fast and closed it behind him.

- _That was VERY close_.

The guards tried to open the door but the locks were back into their original position, so it couldn't be opened without they keys.

The young pirate smiled, relieved.

- _Ha! You can't get me here!_

He looked at the door and his smile faded. From this side, the door had no lock or handle: he was trapped inside.


	10. Chapter 10

Lucious turned around and saw some stairs going down. Fortunately, the room was well illuminated by several torches attached to the walls. He started descending the stairs while observing carefully everything around him.

_Maybe one of these torches is actually a lever to open the door_- he thought- _But I can't try it now, the guards must still be out there_.

When he reached the last step, he got alarmed: a large door stood in front of him. It looked robust and impossible to open without a key.

- _Oh, great!_- he said annoyed.

He kicked the door out of frustration and surprisingly it opened.

- _Thank you. That's a good door_.

When the young pirate entered the chamber, he couldn't believe his eyes: the room was immense and ornamented with golden lamps and delicate marble statues. The walls and the floor seemed to be covered by velvet and silk. Inside, hundreds of chests filled with gold and jewels lied on the floor, as well as elegant weapons, clothes embroidered with gold, luxurious silverware and thousands of books with shiny covers.

Lucious had never seen a room like this in all his trips and, even though he knew about the Mayor's wealth, he would have never imagined his treasures to be so numerous.

He remained there for a few minutes, looking around and touching every item to make sure he was not dreaming.

He took one of the books and opened it. Lucious loved reading and he would get a new book whenever he had the chance. For a pirate, he was quite well cultivated and he disliked the way pirates generally spoke. This love for reading was thanks to his mother, who would read to him a story every night before going to bed.

_I wish one day I can live in a manor like this and have so much wealth_- he thought- _But not like the Mayor, not by stealing poor people. If I was wealthy, I'd help them instead_. _But enough daydreaming, let's get back to work!_

He took out of his pocket a carefully bended sack and started filling it with everything he could. He was sure that the crew would be more than pleased.

While taking some golden dishes, a piece of paper fell on his feet. Lucious picked it up and read it. It was the deed of the Mallon's family house. He knew this family; they had been neighbors when he was a child. Sometimes, he and their son would play together. They were a nice family, but really poor. Probably they couldn't afford the ridiculously high taxes set by the Mayor and he had decided to take their house in exchange. Lucious felt a deep hate towards the Mayor…

He carefully bended the paper and put it in his pocket.

When the sack was full, the young pirate tied it tightly and placed it over his shoulder.

- _Alright, let's get out of here_.

He went again upstairs and approached the main door. Nothing could be heard from the other side. Probably they were trying to find another set of keys, so he had to hurry.

He went back to the torches and started examining them. All of them seemed to be firmly attached to the wall and none of them could be moved in any way.

_Oh, please, there must be a way out!_

He returned to the treasure's chamber and looked around trying to find anything that would resemble a hidden exit. Nothing, there was nothing, he was indeed trapped inside.

The only way out was through the main door, so he would have to wait until the guards came back with the keys and then he would fight his way out.

He was still planning his attack when he heard loud noises coming from the main door: the guards had returned and they were trying to open the door.

Lucious unsheathed his sword and placed the sack over his shoulder again. I was going to be difficult to fight while holding the loot, but he had no other option.

He started walking slowly towards the left to place himself right in front of the stairs. He was so concentrated on the door that he stumbled upon some chest and crashed against a wall. A faded click was heard.

- _What was…_

The young pirate didn't even have time to finish his sentence. A trap door had opened below him and he was sliding fast inside a dark tunnel.

After a few minutes, the tunnel ended and Lucious fell on a green field, along with the filled sack.

- _A trap door…_- he looked around- _…that leads to the outskirts of Oakvale. Very smart! If one day the people revolt against their beloved mayor, he just has to use it and disappear unnoticed…_

He looked at the sky: the sun was getting ready to disappear. He had to hurry.

Quickly, he entered a small forest that lied right next to Dainara's palace and buried the treasure in a safe place.

Before heading towards the ship, he looked at the palace. It was really majestic. He wondered if Dainara was inside and he wished he could just enter to see her…

- _Tonight, my sweet._

He headed towards the ship. When he arrived, he found Captain André with Balker and Silver outside, discussing something. The Captain looked worried.

- _Hey, Captain, what's wrong?_- he said approaching them.

- _Lucious! Where on Albion were ye? It's almost time to go fer yer mission!_

- _We thought ye had chickened out!_- laughed Silver.

- _Maybe it would have been better if he had_- added Balker coldly- _Ye know I don't approve of this kid doing this mission alone, Captain_.

- _My decision has been made, Balker. I want to give him a chance to prove himself_- said the Captain firmly.

- _Ye'll regret it, Captain_- said Balker looking at Lucious angrily before leaving.

Lucious looked at Balker with hate. For as long as he could remember, Balker had been a moody and cold man, especially with him. He imagined that his life had been very hard, he had scars everywhere, but that didn't explain the hostile behavior towards him.

- _Don't pay attention to Balker_- Captain André said- _I trust ye, I'm sure ye'll do fine_.

- _Thanks, Captain_- said the young pirate- _I will._

- _Now, let's go over the plan for tonight. We have got a map of the area and we have found out how many guards remain at night. We have marked on the map all the possible entrances. The only thing ye'' have to find out is where the treasure's chamber is located_- The Captain handed him a map full of arrows and notes about the area- _Silver will go with ye just in case things go wrong_.

Lucious hated the idea of bringing Silver along, but he had to comply.

- _Alright, Captain_.

- _We're going to have so much fun together, kid!_- said Silver pushing him.

- _Silver, I already told ye that ye will wait outside and watch his back while he breaks in_- said Captain André- _Now, go to plan everything carefully_.

When the moon was shinning in the sky, Lucious and Silver started making their way towards the palace.

- _Ye nervous, kid?_- said Silver smirking.

- _Not really_- replied Lucious apathetically- _It's not the first time I break into a house_.

- _Aye, but it's going to be the first time ye're going to do it alone_- added Silver- _And probably ye're gonna blow it. Ye don't have the guts to be a good pirate_.

Lucious got offended by this comment.

- _Just because I don't kill for fun, it doesn't mean that I'm not a good pirate_- he replied- _In fact, I'm a better thief than you'll ever be_.

Silver laughed annoyingly.

- _Then if ye're such a good pirate ye should choose a proper pirate name fer ye. Maybe ye should reconsider the name I told ye: Reaver_- he said mockingly.

- _I already told you that I have my own name and I see no reason to change it_- replied the young pirate- _And Reaver is an awful name which implies a horrible action that I would never do_.

- _Who knows? Maybe by using it the name becomes you_- Silver said.

Lucious stopped walking.

- _We have arrived_- he said while looking at the palace, which stood a few meters ahead- _I'm going in. Wait here._

- _Don't take too long, kid. If ye do, I'll get in there too_- Silver added.

Before leaving, Lucious turned around and said firmly:

- _And no matter what you call me, I'll never become this kind of person_.

Captain André's map had every possible way in marked and only a handful of guards remained in their posts, so Lucious quickly managed to sneak inside the palace.

Everything was dark and quiet.

The room he was in was a library filled with books organized in high shelves which almost reached the roof. He would have loved to check every book inside the room, but a better treasure awaited him in another room. He left the library and went upstairs quietly.

_Now, where must the treasure's chamber be?_

Every door in the first floor looked unused and he was going to search elsewhere when he noticed that one of them looked different than the others. It was cleaner and it had a beautiful flower painted on it.

He opened it slowly and looked inside.

- _I found it_- he smiled.

Dainara lied on her bed sleeping peacefully. The moonlight illuminated her face: she looked really beautiful, like an angel, he thought.

He approached her quietly and smiled. He didn't want to wake her up, probably she would get scared. He looked at the window: it was half opened and it led directly to the small forest where he had hidden the treasure. He reached for his pocket and took the little figurine of Avo of his mother, placing it on the night table next to her bed.

He looked at her one last time and said:

- _Goodnight, my angel_.

He then started climbing the window to leave.

- _Lucious? Is that you?_

The young pirate turned around. Dainara had woken up and sat down on her bed.

- _I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you up_.

He approached her.

- _What are you doing here? How did you manage to avoid the guards?_

- _Well, let's say I'm good at sneaking_- he smiled.

- _The quality of a thief…If I didn't know you, I'd think that you have come here to steal_- she stood up and approached him smirking.

- _I already told you that I'd never do anything bad to you_.

Even though she was only wearing her nightgown, she didn't seem uncomfortable. In fact, she seemed happy to see him.

- _I came to say goodbye_- he went on- _My ship is leaving before sunrise._

Dainara's expression changed.

- _You…you're leaving?_ _For how long?_

The young pirate looked down.

- _I don't know. When we sail away we never know where we are going and when we will return_.

Dainara sat down again.

- _So…there's a chance I don't see you again?_

Lucious approached her and kneeled before her. He held her hands.

- _We'll see each other again. I promise you_.

Dainara looked at him sadly.

-_ But when?_

- _As soon as possible. I'll be back even if I must come by myself_.

Dainara looked away.

- _Unless you forget about me when you meet beautiful women on your trips_.

Lucious laughed.

- _Noone could ever make me forget about you. Not even the goddess Sylkana herself._

Dainara smiled.

- _You know what? I lied to you. I indeed came to steal something from you_- he said.

Dainara looked surprised.

- _What did you come to steal?_

- _This_.

He gently grabbed her chin and kissed her.

Both him and Dainara wished this moment never ended, they wished to remain like this forever, frozen in time and space.

When their lips separated, Dainara held his hand.

- _Come back, please. I'll be waiting for you_.

- _I never break my promises_.

He approached the night table and took the little figurine of Avo, handing it to her.

- _I want you to have it while I'm away_.

- _I can't accept it_- she said- _It's very important for you_.

- _That's why I want you to have it_- he added.

She took it and held it tightly.

- _I must go_- he said approaching the window.

- _Wait!_- she removed her father's necklace- _Take it. This way, I'll be always with you_.

Lucious took it and immediately put it on, hiding it under his shirt.

- _Goodbye, my love_- he said- _I'll see you soon_.


	11. Chapter 11

Morning had arrived. The first sunrays entered through the window, and Dainara was still awake. Since her encounter with Lucious, she hadn't been able to go back to sleep.

A mixture of feelings fluttered inside her body. He loved her, and most importantly, she had realized that she loved him too and they had shared the sweetest kiss, her first kiss. But he was gone…and even though she knew he wouldn't break his promise of coming back, she was afraid: what if something bad happened to him? What if he…died? He was a pirate after all, and pirate life was so dangerous.

Oakleaf jumped on her bed and meowed as if she had realized what Dainara was thinking. Dainara sat down on her bed and held her little cat.

- _He's gone, Oakleaf_- she said while caressing her fluffy head- _And I have nowhere to go now…Sandwood Lake, the only place where I felt safe and happy, is full of memories of him. What will I do now?_

Oakleaf rubbed her head against Dainara as if she was hugging her.

- _I suppose I'll have to find someplace else. Maybe you could come with me for a change._

Dainara got up, got dressed and held Oakleaf again.

- _Let's go for a walk, little friend._

The palace was as busy as usual, nothing had changed and she wished she could believe that, she wished she could go to Sandwood Lake again and find him waiting for her on the shore or observing her from the branch of a tree….but none of this things would happen, and if she went to the lake she would find herself alone, remembering the moments she shared with him there and longing for him.

She entered the kitchen, where Nana always was.

- _Good morning, Nana_- she said.

- _Good morning, my dear_- she approached her with a smile- _Today you got up early, do you have anything to do?_

- _No, I just couldn't sleep_- Dainara realized that Nana's expression had changed- _It's almost summer, it's really hot._

- _I'll change your sheets for thinner ones later_- she replied- _And you should leave your window open_.

- _Yes, I will_- Dainara didn't dare to look at Nana's eyes just in case she could see her sadness- _Well, I'm going to the lake._

- _Wait! Let me fix you some breakfast._

- _No, it's ok, I'm not very hungry…_

Nana frowned.

- _You're not leaving this room without your breakfast, young lady!_

Nana approached a table and wrapped some food for Dainara.

- _Thank you_- said Dainara taking it- _I'll come back at lunch time. Oh, and I'm taking Oakleaf with me._

She quickly made her way towards the door.

- _Dainara…are you alright, child?_

She turned around and looked at Nana. She looked really worried.

Dainara faked a smile.

- _I'm fine._

She opened the door and left the palace.

It had been a while since she had walked around the streets of Oakvale. It was still quite early, but the streets were busy: merchants selling their wares, children going to school, people going to the market to buy their food as fresh as possible…  
The town was very much alive and colorful and the gardens of the houses left a delightful smell of flowers in the air.

She had lived in Oakvale all her life, but just now she realized how beautiful it was.

A group of children played outside the school, waiting for their teacher to arrive.  
Looking at them, Dainara felt some jealousy: she had been home-schooled by the best tutors of the region. Her father thought that going to school was too dangerous for a young noble, but he never realized how lonely she felt. Sometimes, the daughters of other nobles would come to her palace to play with her, but Dainara had always found them way too snobbish and never really enjoyed their company.

Suddenly, the shouts of a man startled her. She looked around and was relieved when she realized that the shouts were of joy.

- _I can't believe it! It's over! We are the owners again!_- the man hugged his wife while he was holding a piece of paper- _Do you think the Mayor came to his senses and gave us the deed of the house back?_

- _I don't know, dear. I found it on the floor early this morning. Someone had slipped it under the door, but I doubt it was the Mayor_- his wife replied.

Dainara smiled and went on walking. She looked back: Oakleaf followed her cheerfully.

- _Let's go to the harbor_.

The harbor was as busy as the rest of the town. A lot of people loaded and unloaded ships. Dainara approached a man who seemed to be controlling all the activity.

- _Excuse me, sir. Did you see by any chance a ship leaving early today? Even before sunrise._

- _No ship leaves this harbor before sunrise, lass_- the man replied.

Dainara couldn't hide her disappointment.

- _Thank you, sir_.

She turned around and was ready to leave the harbor when the man spoke again:

- _There was one ship that set sail just before sunrise, but not from this harbor_- he pointed at some hills- _It must have been anchored behind those hills_.

Dainara approached the man.

- _Could you tell me what direction it went?_-a sparkle of hope shone in Dainara's eyes.

- _They went west. But they were pirates, they change direction on a whim._

- _Thank you_- Dainara felt happier now at least she had a hint of his whereabouts.

- _Let's go home, Oakleaf. We'll see in a map the possible locations for pirates going west._

As soon as she arrived to the palace, she ran towards the library. Before she even had time to open the door, a voice stopped her.

- _Dainara!_- Nana approached her- _I'm so glad you are here. You have visitors_.

Dainara turned around surprised.

- _Visitors? Who are they?_

Nana smiled.

- _I think it's better if you see them for yourself. Just go to your room and wear something nice._

Dainara had no idea who could they be. She ran upstairs and changed into an elegant dress. She went downstairs again, where Nana was waiting for her.

- _They await you in the tea room._

Dainara was really curious.

They crossed the wide hall and Nana opened the door.

Two elegant men sat down on the armchairs drinking tea. One of them was a middle-aged bearded man who looked like a noble, maybe even higher than her father.  
The other guest was a young man who must have been around her age. He was quite handsome: his blond hair was perfectly combed and his eyes were as blue as the summer sky.

There was something familiar about them, but Dainara couldn't really remember why.

Nana seemed really happy to have such guests.

- _My dear Dainara, I don't know if you remember them, but you have two honorable visitors today: the Duke of Shalefields, a great friend of your late father, and Alastor, his charming son._

Suddenly, Dainara remembered.

- _I'm sorry I didn't recognize you earlier, Your Grace_- she curtsied- _It's been a long time._

The Duke smiled.

- _A very long time, indeed! I suppose you remember my son._

- _Of course I do. I'm so happy to see you, Alastor._

When the Duke visited her father, he would take his son along and he and Dainara would play in the gardens. She had fond memories of him, he had always been kind to her.

- _I'm glad to see you too, Dainara_- he vowed to her- _And I must say that you've grown more beautiful than I could have imagined._

Dainara blushed.

- _Thank you._

They all sat down around the table and drank tea while they reminisced about old times.

Suddenly, Dainara realized that they couldn't have just come to visit her after all this time. She got scared: could it be that they had come to ask for her help in an upcoming war? She wasn't sure she would be able to handle it.

- _So, to what do I owe this lovely visit?_- she said trying to sound as natural as possible- _Do you need my help or support for something?_

The Duke put his cup away and smiled at her.

- _I thought you knew it already, my dear. Didn't your father tell you before he died?_

Dainara was confused.

- _Tell me what? I don't recall him telling me anything about you, Your Grace._

- _When you were eight years old, your father and I made an arrangement which would come true when you were eighteen years of age. My son has known about it since he was ten; I'm surprised your father didn't tell you anything._

Dainara looked at Alastor trying to understand anything. He looked at her happily.

- _What does your son have to do with it?_

The Duke laughed.

- _My dear, you're marrying him in two months!_

Dainara dropped her cup of tea, which broke into a million pieces against the floor, just like her heart did as soon as she heard the Duke's words.


	12. Chapter 12

The young pirate leant over the ship's rail. The sea was turning red as the sun disappeared in the horizon. The wind blew gently, tussling his hair. He loved this feeling of freedom, but he missed Dainara. If only she could be here with him, enjoying this beautiful sunset...

He searched inside his shirt and caressed the medallion that she had given him.

- _I missed sailing_- said a voice behind him.

He turned around immediately.

A tall pirate was approaching him. His hair was black and long and he had tied it in a ponytail. His clothes were quite simple, very similar to the clothes Lucious was wearing, even though he was a more experienced pirate. He had a self confident demeanour and a though appearance, but he was an honourable and kind man. He must have been in his thirties.

- _I know we only stopped for a few days, but I couldn't wait to go on sailing. This freedom we have on the sea is unlike any other_- he went on.

- _Yes, you're totally right, Morgan_- Lucious agreed.

Morgan had been part of the crew since he was very young, just like Lucious. His parents had abandoned him in the streets of Bowerstone, hoping that someone would take care of him. After being mistreated by the old man who had adopted him, he run away and he came across Captain André, who accepted him as part of his crew.

Lucious didn't understand why Captain André hadn't chosen him instead of Balker as his second in command. He had fought hard to become the pirate he was now, and Lucious admired him for that. He wished he could be like him one day.

They remained silent for a moment, enjoying the view.

Lucious broke the silence.

- _Do you have any idea where we are going?_

- _I only know that we are heading towards Witchwood Island_- Morgan replied.

- _Witchwood Island? There's nothing of interest there, only ruins and old temples_- said Lucious- _There are no treasures there as far as I know, and no one rich lives in Knothole Glade and surroundings_.

- _Well, it was Captain André's orders. He must know something we don't_- said Morgan.

They had been sailing for two days when they reached Witchwood Island. The sky was gray and the land was muddy, hinting that it had been raining not long ago.

The island had a rudimentary harbour close to Knothole Glade, but they knew that pirates wouldn't be very welcome in town, so they anchored the ship behind some high rocks on the other side of the island.

Captain André gathered all the crew on the main deck.

- _Ye lads must be wondering why we came to Witchwood Island and now I'll explain. A few days ago, Balker told me about an ancient artefact called "The Black Moon". This artefact is supposed to guide its owner to lost treasures of old times, so we must have it!_

The crew cheered excited.

- _Balker told me that he found an old manuscript that mentioned this artefact being somewhere in Witchwood Island, and that´s why we are here_- he continued- _This island is full of bandits, balverines and other creatures, so this mission may prove dangerous. Only three of ye and me will go, the rest will remain in the ship_.

- _And who will go with ye, Captain?_ - one of the pirates said.

Captain André stood still in front of the crew, looking at every one of his men.

- _Well, it was Balker's idea, so he will come with me_.

Balker approached the Captain and stood by his side as serious as usual.

- _Morgan will come too because he's one of the best_.

Morgan smiled and stood next to the Captain.

Captain André remained thoughtful for a moment. Suddenly, Silver approached him and said:

- _And I must be yer third man, cos I'm the best at killing everything that stands on my way_.

- _No_- said Captain André firmly- _Ye will remain on the ship and will be in charge of the crew while we are away. Lucious will come with us._

Everyone turned to look at him in surprise.

Lucious looked at the Captain, shocked. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Captain André had never asked him to join them in a mission. He always stayed on the ship while the most experienced pirates went on dangerous missions. The Captain only allowed him to steal things from places with no real danger involved because he always said he was still not ready to be a full pirate.

- _What are ye saying, Captain?_ - Silver complained- _Ye can't be serious! This kid can't help ye! He's gonna be more of a burden than a help!_

- _Lucious proved his worth by breaking into that noble's palace back in Oakvale_- Captain André replied- _He really did a good job and I think he deserves a chance._

- _This sissy wouldn't know how to kill a fly! Ye'll regret this, Captain! Ye'll..._

- _Enough!_ - shouted Captain André- _That's my decision and ye'll respect it!_

Silver went back to the group and gave Lucious a look full of hate.

Lucious ignored him and approached the Captain.

- _We're going to explore the island_- the Captain turned to Silver- _If by tomorrow night we haven't returned, create a party of five and look for us: we may need help._

It was already getting dark when the party entered the dense forest which stood before them. Soon, they were surrounded by enormous trees and a complete silence. Only the cries of some strange creatures were heard from time to time.

- _Are we on the right path, Balker?_ - asked the Captain.

Balker looked at the compass he was holding.

- _Yes, Captain_.

- _And will ye recognise the place?_

- _Yes, it's a small village called Moon Creek. There's no other village in that area_.

They continued their way, following Balker's directions. Their mission so far was suspiciously uneventful.

The night had finally arrived and all they could see around them was darkness.

- _Light yer torches_- said Captain André.

- _Wait!_ - said Lucious suddenly- _Look down there, Captain! There's some light_.

He pointed at a path not far from them which was illuminated by hanging torches.

- _That's the path to Moon Creek_- added Balker.

- _Let's go then. We don't need the torches to walk such a short distance_- said the Captain.

They were about to reach the path when they heard a monstrous cry and a huge rock fell very close to them.

- _What was that?_ - asked Lucious unsheathing his sword.

Everyone unsheathed their weapons and looked around nervously.

Suddenly, the floor started shaking violently and a huge creature made of rock and mud stood before them.

- _A troll!_ - shouted Morgan.

- _Morgan, go behind it and attack its back while we attack its front!_- ordered Captain André- _Lucious, help Morgan, but be careful!_

Everyone went to their positions. The troll held two big rocks and threw them at Balker and the Captain, who evaded them.

The Captain started shooting at it with his pistol, while Balker attacked its legs with his axe. Morgan hit its back with his sword nimbly and Lucious approached the legs and started attacking them, evading its kicks quickly.

- _You're not bad! Soon you'll be as good as me_- Morgan teased him.

Lucious smirked.

- _Afraid that I take your place as the best swordsman of the crew?_

Morgan laughed.

- _You have to kill a lot of trolls to take my place!_

The troll was badly injured and the fight seemed to be about to finish. Suddenly, the troll took a huge boulder and held it in the air.

- _Run!_ - shouted the Captain.

Everyone was trying to find a place to hide when the troll threw the boulder violently, knocking Captain André out and trapping his legs below.

- _Captain!_ - shouted Morgan trying to approach him.

Balker took his axe and ran towards the monster, only to be pushed by one of its hands. He landed on the floor, unable to move.

- _Hide!_ - said Morgan to Lucious- _I'll handle it!_

- _I'm not leaving you!_ - replied Lucious firmly.

He took his sword and joined Morgan in the fight.

The troll was getting weaker, but it was still dangerous. Suddenly, it pushed Morgan, who dropped his sword, and it lifted him, trying to crush him.

- _Leave...! Run away, Lucious..._- Morgan could hardly breathe.

But Lucious had no intention to leave his mates to their deaths.

He knew it would be so dangerous to approach it. He looked around and spotted Captain André's pistol.

The young pirate dropped his sword, took the pistol and hid behind two rocks which stood right in front of the troll. The troll was very weak: a shot on its head would be enough to kill him. He only had one shot, but he knew he could do it.

- _Hey, big guy!_

The troll looked at him and Lucious shot him accurately. The creature cried loudly and fell to the floor lifeless.

Lucious approached Morgan.

- _Are you alright?_

Morgan got up slowly and looked at Lucious.

- _You've saved my life. I'll never forget what you've done for me, Lucious._

- _I just couldn't let you die_- said the young pirate.

- _Help!_ - said a voice behind them.

- _Captain! You're alive!_ - said Morgan running towards him.

- _Fortunately, the mud buried my legs and prevented the boulder from breaking them_- said the Captain- _Ye just need to get this rock off me_.

Morgan and Lucious pushed with all their might but the boulder didn't move an inch.

- _Get out of the way_.

Balker approached them and pushed the rock away.

- _Thank ye, Balker_- said the Captain getting up- _Let's go to Moon Creek_.

The party reached the illuminated path and, after a while, they arrived at the village.

It was a small village full of old and dark houses. Everything was quiet. For some reason, Lucious had a bad feeling about this place.

They hid their weapons inside their clothes and they started walking around the streets.

- _Are ye sure this is the right place?_ - asked the Captain.

- _Yes, Captain, I'm sure_- replied Balker.

- _This village looks abandoned..._

- _May I help you, gentlemen?_

They turned around and saw an old man standing in front of them.

- _Good evening, sir_- said Captain André trying his best to sound refined- _We are travellers and we seek shelter for the night_.

The old man looked at the party suspiciously.

- _Of course_- he said finally- _You can spend the night in the inn. It's the second house to the left._

- _Thank you, sir_- said the Captain.

The party was walking towards the inn when the old man spoke again.

- _My name is Frederick Glower and I'm the mayor of Moon Creek. I hope you have a pleasant stay with us_.

- _We hope so too_- replied the Captain.

Lucious had a bad feeling about this place. Even though they had hidden their weapons inside their clothes as good as possible, there was no way the old man hadn't realised they were pirates.

As they were walking towards the inn, the young pirate looked back. The old man still stood there, watching them go and he'd had sworn that he was smirking.

They entered the inn and sat down on a table to take some drinks while they planned what to do.

The inn was full of people, all of them eerily grim. They all looked at them and whispered to one another.

- _Tonight we are going to find this artefact_- said the Captain- _Balker, do ye know where it must be?_

- _The manuscript mentioned a library_.

- _This is a small village, there must be only one library here_- replied Morgan- _Wait, let's find out_.

Morgan approached a young waitress.

- _Excuse me, miss_- he said charmingly- _Where can I find the local library?_

The young girl looked at him coldly.

- _There's no library here, sir_- she replied- _Unless you mean..._

- _Unless I mean what?_

- _The old library right outside the village. But this library is cursed!_

- _Cursed?_

The young girl seemed agitated. She looked down and left.

Morgan told the rest what he had learnt and soon they were in front of the old abandoned library. The doors were not locked, so they entered easily.

The library was enormous and filled with books and dust. The Captain and Balker lit some torches.

Lucious was fascinated: he had never seen so many books together. He picked one of them from a nearby shelf. It was about dark magic.

- _This section seems to be about the occult_- he said.

- _Everything seems to be about the occult, I'm not surprised they think it is cursed_- replied Morgan holding another book- _This one is about the Shadow Court_.

- _The Shadow Court? What is that?_

- _Well, legend says that somewhere in Albion there's an old temple where three demonic shadows live. They will grant you whatever wish you have, no matter how impossible it may seem...for a price, of course._

Lucious frowned.

- _Sounds like an old wives' tale to me_- he said.

Morgan laughed.

- _Yes, it does sound ridiculous that some creatures stand there all day, waiting for someone to actually go and ask for a wish_.

- _And who would be crazy enough as to make a deal with demonic shadows?_ - continued Lucious.

- _Hey, lads, come here, we have found something_- said Captain André behind them.

He stood in front of a big door.

- _Balker thinks that the artefact is behind this door_.

Suddenly, the main door opened, hitting the walls violently.

- _What was that?_ - said the Captain.

They all turned around and found themselves surrounded by a big group of wolf like creatures howling eerily.

- _Balverines!_


	13. Chapter 13

Dainara lied on her bed, hugging her pillow and crying. Oakleaf, as if she understood her master's grief, lied down by her side in silence.

After learning the truth, she had left the living room abruptly and she had locked herself into her room.

- _Dainara, my child, open the door, please_- Nana knocked the door of her bedroom.

- _Leave me alone!_ - Dainara shouted.

- _Please, I think we need to talk_.

- _There's nothing to talk about! Just leave me in peace!_

- _Alright…I'll come back later when you have calmed down_.

Dainara felt really bad. She felt betrayed by her father for having betrothed her to a man whom she hardly knew and not taking into account her feelings; she felt betrayed by Nana, for not having told her anything about this arrangement and for not having tried to stop her father from doing this awful thing; she felt trapped, unable to do anything against all this, not only because it would mean to go against her father's last wishes but because the Duke of Shalefields was a very powerful man and it was not wise to have him as an enemy.

But most importantly, she felt heartbroken because now that she had met her true love she couldn't marry someone else.

Alastor was very handsome and kind, and she knew that any girl would be more than pleased to marry him. But her heart belonged to Lucious and it would always belong to him.

She picked Lucious' figurine from her night table and caressed it.

- _Please, come back soon, my love. Come back and take me away from this madness._

While she was holding the little figurine, she fell asleep.

Some hours later, a knock on the door woke her up.

- _Dainara, my dear, are you alright?_ - said Nana from the other side of the door.

- _Yes…_- she replied reluctantly.

- _Can I enter?_

Dainara didn't feel like talking to anyone, but she could feel the concern in Nana's voice.

- _Alright_.

Nana entered the room and sat down on the bed, next to her.

- _I was very worried about you, darling. You have been locked in your room almost all day_- she said caressing her hair.

- _Well, what did you expect me to do after such an awful shock?_ - Dainara replied harshly.

- _I know how you must be feeling, and probably this is my fault. I should have told you about this arrangement years ago, you learnt about it way too suddenly and that's why you are upset_.

- _Yes, you should have_.

Dainara got up from her bed and started walking around the room.

- _I'm very sorry, my child. Your father always said that you were way too young to think about marriage and that I shouldn't tell you until the moment came. You really seemed to like Alastor when you were a child, and we were convinced you wouldn't have a problem accepting him as your husband._ - said Nana sadly.

- _You should have told me anyway, it had to do with my life! But this is not the only thing that upsets me…the fact that my father betrothed me to Alastor taking into account his own interests rather than my feelings hurts me deeply_.

- _Alastor is a wealthy noble and a kind young man, your father just wanted you to have the best husband of Albion_- replied Nana.

- _And what about love? Didn't he take into account my feelings? He's quite handsome and likeable, but it doesn't mean that I'm in love with him_.

- _Well, I'm sure that you soon will if you give him a chance_- Nana smiled.

- _I can't love him!_

- _Why not? What do you dislike of him?_ - Nana looked at her intrigued.

- _Nothing, it's just that…_- she looked at the little figurine that she was still holding.

- _What is it, child?_

Dainara closed her hand around the figurine.

- _I just can't_.

Dainara made her way towards the door and opened it.

-_Tell Alastor and the Duke that I'm very sorry for my behavior today and that I'm very honored by their proposal but I can't accept it_.

- _Please, my dear, think about it_.

Dainara left her bedroom, followed by Oakleaf. She went downstairs and headed straight to the library: she had to find out where Lucious could be.

The library was immense, but she knew every section by heart.

- _Let's see…History of Albion, Creatures of Albion, Flora of Albion…here it is, Geography of Albion_.

She picked a huge book, placed it over a table and opened it. A big map of Albion laid before her.

- _That man said the ship went west…_

She moved her finger from Oakvale towards the west.

- _Bloodstone? Well, it is a fitting place for pirates, but it's so close to Oakvale, I don't think they are there_.

She moved her finger further west.

- _Driftwood maybe? But there's nothing there, just empty fields…unless they aim to steal from the gypsies of Bower Lake._

She felt clueless and it disappointed her. Suddenly, she looked at the left part of the map and something caught her attention.

- _Witchwood Island? Could it be you're there?_

She looked at Oakleaf.

- _I know it's risky, but I must try to contact him…He needs to come back, he needs to help me_.

The next morning she got up quite early. She took some parchments and ink and placed them in a bag. She also took the figurine of Avo and placed it in her pocket.

She knew that the possibility of Lucious receiving her letter was quite slim, but she had hopes and she was very excited.

She would go to the lake, the place where they had met, where she could find the peace she needed, where she could open her heart and express her feelings.

She was crossing her palace's gardens when a voice stopped her.

- _Dainara_.

She turned around and was surprised.

- _Alastor…what are you doing here?_

- _I wanted to talk with you…about some things_.

- _Did you father send you here?_ - asked Dainara with suspicion.

- _No, I came on my own account. I really needed to see you_- he said shyly.

Dainara remained still, unsure of what to say or do.

- _Shall we sit down?_ - he said pointing at a nearby bench.

They both sat down and remained in silence for a few seconds.

- _I'm very sorry for my behavior yesterday_- said Dainara looking down- _I know I was very rude and I shouldn't have left the room so abruptly_.

- _Don't worry about that. I suppose it must have been quite a shock for you to learn that you're getting married in two months_.

She looked at him.

- _Alastor, don't get me wrong, you are a wonderful man and I'm sure every girl on Albion would die to marry you but…I can't_.

Alastor looked at her sadly.

- _I know this is so sudden for you, and you are probably scared, I am too, that's why I have asked my father to delay the wedding six months. This way, you can get used to the idea of getting married and we can get to know each other better_.

Dainara sighed.

- _Alastor, I know this marriage is so beneficial for both of us and it will make your father's duchy even stronger, but we don't have to do what our fathers wished, we shouldn't marry someone just for power, but for love_.

Alastor looked at her and held her hands.

- _I'm not marrying you for power, Dainara. This marriage may be so beneficial for my father's interests, but I'm marrying you because I love you_.

Dainara was shocked to hear that.

- _What are you saying? You can't love me, we haven't seen each other for years!_

- _I love you since the first time I saw you in these very same gardens when I was 7 years old. I had come with my father to visit the palace, but I got bored and I started running around the gardens. And then I saw you…wearing a beautiful white dress and playing with the birds. I thought you were an angel…_

Danara's heart froze for a moment. She would have never imagined that Alastor was really in love with her.

Now, breaking the engagement included a new price to pay: breaking Alastor's heart.

- _Alastor, we were children…a lot of years have passed and now things have changed. Even I have changed._

- _Yes, you've grown more beautiful_- he said caressing her cheek.

She moved away from him.

- _Alastor…I'm very sorry, but I'm not in love with you_.

Alastor approached her.

- _I know, but that's why I have delayed the wedding_- he held her hands again- _Please, give me a chance to make you fall in love with me_.

Dainara moved her hands away from his.

- _I'm sorry, Alastor, but I can't marry you_.

- _Not now, but once you love me…_

- _I can't love you_- she interrupted.

- _What? Why not?_ - he asked.

- _Sorry_.

She got up from the bench and made her way towards the door.

- _Who is he?_

Alastor's voice had changed. Now it sounded firm and cold.

Dainara turned around.

- _What?_

- _Who is the man you are in love with?_

- _Why do you assume that I'm in love with someone else?_

- _Well, why else would you say that you can't love me?_ - he then looked at the pocket- _Plus I've noticed that sometimes you hold something that you have inside your pocket, probably a gift from him_.

Instinctively, Dainara reached for her pocket and held the Little figurine. She couldn't tell Alastor about Lucious…

- _I have to go_- she said.

- _Are you going to see him now? Please, tell me who he is. A noble? A wealthy merchant? I need to know who my rival is_.

- _If you are so convinced about me having a boyfriend, why would you waste your time on me?_

- _Because I love you and I'm not giving you up without a fight_.

Dainara couldn't believe what she was hearing. She would have never expected Alastor to be so much in love with her. She had assumed that he was as upset about the upcoming wedding as she was.

- _I can't tell you his name_.

- _So you admit you are in love?_

Dainara nodded.

- _I am._

He got up from the bench and approached her.

- _I promise that I'll make you fall in love with me and one day you'll be my wife, even if I have to wait a lifetime for you_.

He bowed at her.

- _Goodbye, my lady_.


	14. Chapter 14

The balverines filled the room and surrounded the pirates, blocking the only exit door.

- _Open the door, Balker!_ - said Captain André pointing at the mysterious door they had just discovered.

Balker was pushing with all his strength but the door wouldn't budge.

- _I'm trying, Captain!_ - he said.

Lucious and Morgan unsheathed their swords and remained en garde while the balverines approached them slowly.

- _Attack!_ - shouted Captain André drawing his pistol.

The three pirates started fighting the balverines, who attacked back fiercely.

Even though he didn't have a lot of fighting experience, Lucious' swordfighting was incredibly good.

Soon, most of the balverines were defeated and the rest just ran away in fear.

- _Where did all these balverines come from?_- asked Morgan- _I know that there are balverines in Witchwood Island, but generally they don't approach villages so much_.

- _I don't know, lad_- replied the Captain- _Maybe balverines here are more aggressive_.

- _There's something wrong here_- said Lucious- _I have had a bad feeling about this place since we arrived_.

The Captain nodded.

- _Yeah, I know what ye mean. Something stinks_.

- _Let's go to the village. We must warn the villagers about the balverines_- said Morgan- _Who knows? Maybe we can help them fight the beasts and they reward us_.

- _Yeah, let's go_- the Captain suddenly stopped walking- _Wait a minute…where is Balker?_

They looked around the library but there was no trace of him.

- _Maybe he followed the balverines_- said Morgan- _You know how stubborn he is_.

When they arrived to the village, everything was quiet. In fact, way too quiet…

- _Where is everyone?_ - said Lucious.

- _Maybe the balverines came and they all hid. They probably have hideouts for such cases, this must happen quite often_- replied Morgan.

For some reason, Lucious felt even more uneasy than before.

They walked around the village's streets for a while but they were deserted.

- _We must find Balker_- finally said Captain André- _We must search the village thoroughly and one of us must return to the library just in case he went back there_.

- _I'll go_- said Lucious firmly.

The Captain looked at him severely.

- _It could be dangerous. We killed most of the balverines, but some ran away. They could come back…and ye would be alone_.

- _I can do it, Captain_.

Captain André smiled.

- _I saw how ye fought them back in the library. Ye're a fine pirate, Lucious_- he approached him with a fatherly look- _Sometimes I forget that ye are not a kid anymore, that ye've grown into a brave man_.

Lucious smiled.

- _I won't let you down, Captain_.

- _I know you won't, Lucious_.

Lucious followed the path to the library while the Captain and Morgan searched the village's streets.

When the young pirate arrived to the library, everything was quiet. He walked slowly among the bookshelves but there was no trace of Balker.

Suddenly, he noticed something: the mysterious door that they had been unable to unlock earlier now was wide open.

He approached it cautiously.

- _Balker? Are you here?_

No answer.

He looked inside the contiguous room. Everything was so dark but it seemed to be another library, this one even older and dustier than the previous one.

Lucious lit his torch and entered the room. The books in this library looked very ancient, their pages were torn and they seemed as if they were going to turn into dust if someone touched them.

There was a book lying on the floor. Lucious kneeled before it and removed the dust from the cover.

- _"The ways of the balverine"_- he read.

He approached the torch to the spines of the books that lied on the shelf next to him.

- _"The balverine curse", "Becoming the beast", "Balverines and werewolves"…This library is dedicated to balverines…_

He stood up and looked around him: the room was decorated with gruesome statues of balverines.

Suddenly, he noticed a lectern in the center of the room. An open book lied on top of it. He approached quickly. The book seemed to be some kind of diary dating from 200 years ago.

Lucious started reading some of the entries.

- _"We are not the same, we can't be the same. This curse runs through our veins like poison and there's nothing we can do about it. The beast didn't show any mercy, not even on women and children…Every day is more unbearable to see how my son suffers while the curse consumes him. Avo have mercy on us."_

- _"The curse is getting more difficult to control and we have been forced to kill some of our own…friends, brothers, sisters, husbands, mothers, sons…I wish the beast had just killed us all instead of leaving us alive in this living hell."_

- _"My son grows more and more aggressive every day. We have gathered all the knowledge we could about the curse, but no remedy seems to work for him. Last time he turned into a beast, he almost killed four villagers. I know they all want to kill him…but I can't, I just can't kill my son."_

Lucious skipped some pages and read the last entries.

- _"There's no use feeling sorry for ourselves…We are what we are and we must take advantage of it. Now we are faster, stronger…we are free. No one can pillage us, no one can destroy our village. If only we could increase our numbers…we would be unstoppable. I have sent my son outside of the village to find new victims, stronger than the lost merchants who come to Moon Creek. I'm sure Balker will succeed."_

Lucious couldn't believe what he had just read…Balker was a balverine!

He closed the diary and read the cover.

- _Moon Creek's Chronicles by Frederick Glower…the mayor…they are all balverines! I must warn the Captain! _

He was taking the diary from the lectern when a spine-chilling growl stopped him.

He turned around slowly and saw a terrifying beast standing in front of him.

This balverine was the biggest and strongest Lucious had ever seen.

The young pirate remained still for a few seconds and then he unsheathed his sword carefully and pointed it at the beast.

- _I know who you are_- he said defiantly.

The beast growled loudly and attacked him.

Lucious avoided the hit swiftly and jumped over the lectern.

- _You have betrayed us, you have betrayed Captain André! You want to turn us all into balverines!_

The beast's claw tore his shirt up. Lucious jumped over the balverine and attacked it with his sword, injuring it.

The creature attacked Lucious fiercely but the young pirate avoided every hit nimbly.

Lucious was furious. He admired Captain André deeply and he couldn't forgive Balker for betraying his trust.

The beast was huge but he was not afraid: all he could think about was the betrayal.

Suddenly, the door of the library opened and a group of balverines joined the fight.

The young pirate fought as well as he could but he knew that he wouldn't be able to kill them all. The only option he had was to escape from this room and lock them all inside, but he had to be fast. He wondered where Captain André and Morgan were and if they were fine…

He started fighting his way towards the door with his sword, but suddenly one of the balverines hit his sword and it fell to the floor.

The young pirate ran towards the lectern and jumped over it. He looked at the bookshelves: he had to jump over them and reach the exit, that was his only way out.

The balverines were approaching the lectern so he jumped over the closest bookshelf nimbly. He ran fast on top of them but when he was about to reach the exit, the balverines hit it violently, causing him to lose balance and fall on the floor.

The hit left him unable to move and the balverines approached him dangerously.

He looked around searching for something that could be used as a weapon, but he found only dusty books.

The beasts were so close that he could even feel their foul breaths on him.

He thought he was going to die there…he would never see the world again, he would never see his friends…he would never see Dainara.

Suddenly, he heard shots and the balverines started falling lifeless around him.

Captain André and Morgan had just arrived and were fighting the balverines fiercely.

Lucious knew that he should get up, find his sword and help his friends, but for some reason he couldn't move.

After a while, only the biggest balverine remained.

- _Ye're going to die foul beast_- shouted Captain André.

- _He's Balker_- said Lucious almost unable to speak- _He took us here to turn us all into balverines_.

The Captain and Morgan looked at Lucious with surprise.

- _What are ye talking about, lad?_

Lucious pointed at the diary which lied below the lectern.

- _It's all there. He's the mayor's son. They were all cursed_.

Morgan took the book from the floor but the beast tried to attack him immediately, so Captain André shot it quickly.

Captain André approached Lucious and helped him up.

- _Are ye alright, lad?_

- _Yes, Captain_.

- _By Avo!_ - Morgan shouted from across the room.

They all approached him and realized why he was so shocked. Balker had turned back to his human form and lied lifeless in front of them.

- _Let's go back to the ship_- said the Captain- _There's nothing to do here_.

On the way to the ship, Lucious was more serious than usual. He couldn't stop thinking about the balverines around him, how close he had been to death, how easy it was to lose everything you have, just like he lost his parents…

Morgan approached him.

- _Hey, are you ok?_

Lucious faked a smile.

- _I'm fine. Just tired_.

- _You must have had a hard time fighting all these balverines by yourself_.

- _Yes, for a moment there I thought I was going to die…_

- _But you didn't. You are a great pirate, Lucious. Not everyone would have survived such attack_.

- _Even with my skills I was about to die…_

Morgan stopped walking and looked at him.

- _It's over. We're alive and it would take more than a few balverines to kill us_.

The pirates arrived to their ship and told the rest of the crew about their adventure.

Lucious was happy to be alive, but somehow he still felt bad.

- _We had a rough time in the island, so we'll go to Bloodstone for a few days to rest._

Everyone cheered.

Lucious then knew what would make him feel better. He approached the Captain.

- _Captain, I hope you don't mind, but I can't join you in Bloodstone…I must go somewhere else_.


	15. Chapter 15

Dainara was sitting down on the lake's shore. She was holding a parchment and an inked feather on her lap but she was looking thoughtfully at the lake instead of writing.  
She knew exactly what to say in her letter, but since her conversation with Alastor she didn't know what to do.  
She wanted to be with Lucious, she wanted him to hug her and kiss her and take her away from Oakvale with him so that she didn't have to marry a man she didn't love, but she didn't want to break Alastor's heart.

Almost a week had passed since her conversation with Alastor and every day she had come to the lake but she hadn't been able to write not even one line of her letter.  
She knew that if she left now she would break Alastor's heart…maybe she should wait for Lucious to come back and take advantage of this time to convince Alastor to cancel the wedding…but what if this time made Alastor want her even more? What if Lucious took so long to come back? What if he never came back…?

- _I must write to him, he needs to come back, I need him_- she thought.

She looked at the parchment and let the memories of Lucious fill her mind.

_My love,  
I'm not sure if this letter will ever reach you, and I know it's dangerous that I write to you, but something horrible has happened and I need you by my side._

_I know that you're probably busy but please, try to come back to Oakvale as soon as you are able._

_I love you…I hope you still feel the same way about me._

_Dainara_

She bent at the letter and put it inside an envelope.  
She remembered that once he had mentioned the name of his ship, so she wrote on the envelope: _To Lucious of The Intrepid_.

- _I'm sorry, Alastor_.

She got up and headed back to Oakvale.

Now she had to find someone who was going to Witchwood Island to deliver the letter. She knew that no one really went there apart from some merchants, but she wouldn't give up until she found someone willing to deliver it.

She approached the local courier.

- _Good morning. Could you take this letter to Witchwood Island?_

- _I'm sorry, miss. We only take letters to Witchwood Island when we have enough of them to make it worth the trip and right now we have none_- replied the courier.

- _I could pay you handsomely_- said Dainara.

The courier looked at her.

- _Even if you could, you'd still have to wait three weeks. We have a lot of letters to deliver somewhere else_.

- _I can't wait that long!_- complained Dainara- _Please, I'm a noble, I have a lot of gold_.

The courier looked around and lowered his voice.

- _Look, miss, I'd like to help you, really, but most of the letters we must deliver are from the mayor and if we don't deliver them on time…well, there will be trouble. Since the robbery in his manor he's more…impatient than usual_.

Dainara felt so disappointed.

She walked around the streets until she reached the central square. It was full of life, stores everywhere, stalls where merchants sold beautiful jewelry, children playing and laughing…

She approached one of the merchants.

- _Good morning, young lady. Do you want a golden necklace for your slender neck? A bracelet, perhaps? I have everything a beautiful girl like you needs to look elegant!_

- _Good morning, sir. Actually, I wanted to ask you something. Are you going to Witchwood Island anytime soon?_

- _Witchwood Island? Not a lot of merchants dare to go there. Way too dangerous and not a lot of sales_.

- _If I paid you, would you be willing to go? I need someone to deliver a letter for me_.

The merchant frowned.

- _Not even if you gave me all the gold on Albion I'd go there. I'd be dead as soon as I set foot on the Island!_

Dainara felt really desperate. It seemed that no one would go there!

- _And do you know anyone who would be willing to go to Witchwood Island?_

- _I could go_- a voice said behind her.

She turned around and remained silent, unable to speak.

- _Oh, this young man can help you, it seems_- said the merchant happily- _He definitely looks like the kind of man who would dare to go there_.

Lucious stood there smirking and looking at Dainara's surprised face.

- _But, of course, first the young lady will have to tell me how she would pay me before I undertake such a dangerous task_.

Dainara still looked at him, not believing her eyes.

- _Miss, answer him, how would you pay the young man?_ - said the merchant.

- _I…I don't know_.

- _Oh, well, that's not good. If I'm going to risk my life for you, I'm afraid some kind of payment is in order, don't you agree, sir?_

- _Of course!_ - replied the merchant- _She should give you a big amount of gold_.

- _No, I'm not interested in gold…hmm, let me think about it_- Lucious remained thoughtful for a few seconds- _Well, I overheard that you want to give a letter to someone in Witchwood Island…who is this person?_

Dainara didn't know what to reply.  
Should she play along and pretend they didn't know each other?  
She looked at him and smiled.

- _It is for a man I know_. I believe he's there now_._

- _A man? Is this man your boyfriend?_ - said Lucious crossing his arms.

- _Well…yes, I think so_.

- _You think so? My dear girl, how can you not be sure of this? Hasn't he showed you his feelings?_

Dainara could feel her cheeks burning. She looked at the merchant, who had abandoned his stall and looked at her, waiting for her answer.

- _Well…_

- _Hasn't he told you how he feels about you? Hasn't he kissed you? Hasn't he given you his most reassured possession so that you remember him while he's away?_

Dainara looked at him and smiled.

- _Yes, he has_.

- _Then, young lady, I think this man is really in love with you_.

- _Yes, I agree!_- added the merchant.

- _Well, since I consider love to be so important, I'll do it for you. I only want a kiss as payment_.

- _A kiss? But the young lady has a boyfriend!_ - said the merchant.

- _Oh, I'm sure her boyfriend won't mind if she gives me a little kiss, what do you say, my dear?_

- _Well, I suppose he won't. But let's do it in private, we never know who can see us_- replied Dainara.

- _Yes, I agree, my lady_- Lucious turned to the merchant- _Sir, if you ever see her boyfriend, don't tell him anything about this kiss, ok?_

- _But…_

Before the merchant had time to finish his sentence, the couple had disappeared into the crowd.

They followed a path that led outside the town and entered an abandoned barn.

- _I didn't expect you to come back so soon. I couldn't believe my eyes when I turned around and I saw you_.

- _Do you want me to leave again and take a bit longer to return?_ - he teased her.

- _No! Of course not! It's just that I thought that maybe…- _she looked down.

- _That maybe I wouldn't come back at all?_

- _Well, I…_

He raised her chin gently.

- _I told you I'd come back to you and I always will. Never forget that_.

- _I'm sorry_.

He approached her and they kissed passionately. They had been longing for that kiss for so long and it tasted sweeter than ever.

- _I have missed you so much_- he said.

- _I have missed you too…and I needed you, that's why I was going to send you a letter_.

- _How did you know that I was in Witchwood Island?_ - he was quite curious to know.

- _I just guessed…The watched of the harbor told me that your ship had gone west so…I just figured that Witchwood Island was the most probable place for pirates_.

- _Well, you guessed right_- he smiled.

- _But…isn't it a dangerous place to be? If something happened to you…_

He held her hand.

- _Nothing is dangerous for a pirate_.

The memories of the Island came back to him. He had been about to die back there…He would have never seen Dainara again, he would have never held her hand or kissed her again…

- _Are you alright?_ - asked Dainara- _You got serious_.

He smiled.

- _Nothing…I was just wondering what your letter said_.

He couldn't tell her about his adventure in Witchwood Island, he didn't want to worry her.

- _Well, while you were away something terrible happened and I wanted to ask you to come back and take me away with you_.

Lucious got alarmed.

- _Something terrible? What happened to you? Did someone hurt you?_

- _No, no, it's nothing like that. But…_- she paused for a second- _I learnt that my father betrothed me to a young noble when we were children_.

- _What?_

- _But I don't love him! I love you! And I have told him that but he insists on marrying me! And now everyone is trying to convince me of how nice he is and that I should marry him! And last week I talked to him and he told me that he really loves me and that he won't give me up without a fight!_

- _Calm down! Calm down!_ - he held both her hands.

- _The wedding will take place in six months. You must take me with you. I must run away!_


	16. Chapter 16

Lucious couldn't believe what he was hearing. The woman he loved deeply was betrothed to marry another man, man who she didn't even love. He felt like his heart had stopped beating.

The situation was very complicated, Alastor was a very powerful and influential noble and there seemed to be nothing to do in order to ruin his plans. But he had to do something; he wasn't going to give Dainara up.

He was still holding her hands while she begged him to take her away from Oakvale.

- _I can't take you with me, my love_- he told her- _Pirate life is so dangerous for young ladies like yourself_.

- _I can fight…a little bit. When my father died, our swordmaster taught me some swordfighting so that I was able to defend the palace if it was ever attacked_.

He got up and started walking around the barn.

- _A little bit of swordfighting is not enough to defend yourself. Sometimes it is so dangerous even if you are very skilled_.

The balverines…they were surrounding him. There were too many and he couldn't defeat them all even with his skill. He could feel his life slipping through his fingers…He couldn't take Dainara with him, he didn't want to expose her to such dangers. If something ever happened to her…

- _Please, Lucious, take me with you. We can't fight the Duke of Shalefields, he's way too powerful!_

The image of his parents lying dead on a pool of blood came to his mind.

Lucious shook his head.

- _No, I can't take you with me, it's so dangerous_.

- _Please…_

Bandits, balverines…it just takes a few seconds to die, to lose everything you have, everything you hold dear.

- _I SAID I CAN'T!_- he shouted.

Dainara stopped talking and looked at him with surprise.

He looked at her face and immediately regretted shouting at her.

He sat down next to her and started caressing her cheek.

- _I'm sorry. It's just that I can't bear the thought of something bad happening to you…_- he looked at her with a grave expression- _If you were ever hurt in the least, I would die, my love, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself, especially if I had something to do with it, and bringing you along with me would be such case_.

Dainara looked at him sadly. She knew he was right, going with him was way too dangerous, but she just couldn't remain in Oakvale, waiting for her wedding day to arrive.

Some tears slipped through her cheeks.

- _Then what are we going to do? I don't want to marry him! I love you and I just want to be with you!_

Lucious cleaned her tears gently.

- _I'll confront him_- he said firmly- _I'll go to him and I'll tell him that we are in love and that nothing in this world will separate us_.

Dainara smiled shyly, but she was still worried.

- _And what if he still insists?_

- _Then I'll duel him_- he said fiercely.

Dainara was shocked.

- _Duel him? I don't want you to get hurt!_

Lucious smirked.

- _Well, I really appreciate your faith in my skills, my dear_.

- _I didn't mean…_

- _Don't worry. I'll be alright_.

- _But it's so dangerous; he's a very skilled swordsman_.

- _Well, the prize is well worth the risk_- they looked at each other in silence for a few seconds- _Besides, a snooty noble is not going to beat me, the devilishly handsome pirate Lucious_.

- _Devilishly handsome? You forgot to add modest_- Dainara laughed.

- _I didn't like this remark, young lady. Are you implying that I'm not the most handsome pirate of Albion?_

- _Well, I haven't met them all, so I couldn't say_- she teased him.

- _So you dare to insult a pirate? I'm afraid you have made a terrible mistake, my dear lady_.

Dainara laughed and started running around the barn while Lucious chased her.

- _There's no point in running, fair maiden. I'm going to get you sooner or later and you'll pay for your offense_.

- _You'll have to catch me first!_

Dainara stumbled and fell on a pile of hay.

Lucious fell on top of her.

- _Got you!_

He started caressing her hair.

- _By Avo, you're beautiful_.

She smiled.

- _I love you, Lucious. I should be a nice noble lady and marry Alastor in order to bring more prestige and wealth to my family, but I just can't help falling more and more in love with you every day. I don't know what fate has in store for me, but I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you_.

Lucious couldn't feel happier. He wished this moment never ended.

- _I love you, Dainara. I always will, no matter what. Never forget that_.

They embraced each other and kissed passionately.

Dainara felt safe in his arms, as if nothing bad could ever happen to her if he was by her side.

Lucious' life hadn't been an easy one. When his parents died, he felt that his life was empty. Captain André and his crew took him in and made him have some kind of family but now, kissing Dainara, he realized that his life was truly complete.  
He loved her more than anything else in his life and he knew that he wanted to build a family with her and spend the rest of his life by her side.

- _Let's go to our secret place_- he said- _Let's forget about the world_.

Dainara held his hand and they went to Sandwood Lake.

They lied down by the shore, embracing each other, and enjoyed the beautiful view.

Suddenly, Dainara looked at him and blushed. It seemed as if she was avoiding his eyes. She got up and looked down thoughtfully while playing with some pebbles.

- _What is it?_- he asked her- _You seem thoughtful_.

- _Nothing…it's nothing_- she said still looking down.

Lucious got up and raised her chin.

- _Darling, if something is troubling you, you know that you can tell me_.

- _It's nothing, really. I was just wondering something but…I don't think it's appropriate to ask you this_.

Lucious was really curious.

- _You can ask me anything, my love. What is it?_

Dainara hesitated for a moment.

- _Have you had…other girlfriends before? Surely a man like you has met a lot of women_.

Lucious smiled.

- _Mmm, a little jealous, are we?_

- _No, no…well…I was just curious. But you don't have to reply if you don't want to!_

Lucious laughed. He loved it when she got so embarrassed.

- _Well, it is true that I have met a lot of beautiful women in my trips. There was Sylvia, Catherine, Rebecca, Sarah…Oh dear, there are so many that I can't remember all their names_- he smirked and looked at her frowning face. He was really enjoying this little jealousy attack- _But none of them were as lovely as you_.

- _So were these women your…?_

- _Girlfriends?_- he interrupted- _No, of course not. I was just teasing you!_

She looked at him with an annoyed expression.

- _I have liked some women in the past and I have found them attractive, but I have never been in love before_.

Even though Dainara felt a little jealous of these women he had liked, she felt very relieved to hear that he had only loved her.

- _You're my one true love, Dainara. That's why I'm always going to be by your side._

Suddenly, Dainara remembered Alastor and the problem she had. She had been enjoying her time with Lucious so much that she had almost forgotten about it.

- _You must see Alastor as soon as possible, Lucious. I want this to be over_.

- _I'll see him tomorrow if that's possible. I don't want to delay it either_.

- _I'll send for him tomorrow morning. I really hope he realizes that I would never be happy with him_.

Dainara looked troubled.

Lucious hugged her.

- _Don't worry. Everything will be over tomorrow, I promise_.


	17. Chapter 17

Dainara was up since down. That night she could hardly sleep, she was quite worried about the confrontation between Lucious and Alastor.

She walked around her room nervously while Oakleaf looked at her from her bed with curiosity.

- _I hope everything goes well. If something bad happens to Lucious…No, nothing bad will happen, he's a pirate, he must be really skilled_.

She looked at Oakleaf and kneeled next to her to caress her head.

- _But I don't want Alastor to be hurt either. He's a nice swordsman but Lucious has more experience in real fights…_

Dainara got up and went on walking around the room. Oakleaf got up from her bed and followed her, meowing softly.

- _I know he won't be convinced with words, I know there will be a duel. Alastor is determined to marry me and he's not going to give up that easily_.

She approached the window and looked outside. The sun was already shining in the sky and the birds were singing happily on the trees. The flowers of her gardens gave off a sweet aroma on the air. It would have been a perfect day if she didn't have so much grieve inside her heart.

- _But even if he is convinced, even if Lucious doesn't hurt him, he's still going to be hurt…I'm going to break his heart_.

The breeze waved her hair graciously. She closed her eyes and imagined herself far away from Oakvale, together with Lucious in a faraway place, where no one would tell them what to do, where they could enjoy their love freely, without restrictions. A place where only death would be able to separate them.

A knock on her door brought her back to reality.

- _Dainara? Are you awake, my child?_

She opened the door quickly.

- _Good morning, Nana. I've been awake for quite a while_.

Nana smiled.

- _Well, it's natural that you are nervous, dear. Today is a special day, isn't it?_

Dainara looked at her with a confused expression.

- _What do you mean?_

Nana approached her happily.

- _You don't have to hide it from me, my dear. I know that yesterday you asked one of the guards to bring Alastor to the palace in the morning_.

Dainara frowned. She had instructed the guard to keep it a secret and, apparently, he hadn't obeyed her.

- _How could he tell you? I clearly instructed him not to…_

- _Oh, don't blame him, child. He didn't tell a soul. Yesterday I was looking for you around the palace and I just overheard your conversation_.

Dainara frowned even more.

- _So you were spying on me?_

Nana laughed.

- _Oh, please, Dainara! You shouldn't be hiding it. It's a very good thing to happen_- she held both her hands- _I'm so happy that you have finally accepted Alastor as your husband. You are going to be very happy together_.

Dainara was furious with Nana eavesdropping and her mention of the arranged marriage, but as soon as she looked at Nana's eyes, her anger turned into sadness.  
Nana looked at her with motherly love and she seemed truly happy about the idea of accepting Alastor's proposal.

She knew that what she was about to do would disappoint Nana deeply and it hurt her so much. Nana was like a mother to her, the only mother she had ever known, and the last thing she wanted was to disappoint her.

_She'll understand_- she thought- _She knows me so well, one day she'll understand_.

- _Come on, let's have breakfast. Alastor will be here soon and you still have to get ready_.

Dainara went downstairs and had breakfast with Nana.

It had been a long time since they had had breakfast together. Since her father died, she had always spent her mornings in Sandwood Lake, and the days when it rained and she couldn't go she would spend them inside her room.

- _I missed having breakfast with you, my child_.

- _I missed it too_.

- _Sometimes I wish that time hadn't passed and that you were still that little girl who would come downstairs so happily to wish me good morning with a hug_- said Nana feeling nostalgic.

Dainara remembered those times fondly. Every morning, she would get up so happily because she knew that Nana would prepare her favorite sweets for breakfast. She would always hug her to thank her, and then she would go to say good morning to her father.

But since her father died, all that happiness seemed to have vanished and she would hardly spend any time with Nana. Dainara felt that she had been neglecting her all this time.

- _I'm sorry if I haven't been spending as much time as I should have with you, Nana. I know that since my father's death I have been distancing myself from everyone._

Nana caressed her hand.

- _Don't worry, my child. I know how difficult it was for you to accept your father's death. I understood how you felt and that's why I was always there for you, showing you my love even if you couldn't show me yours. That's what mothers are for_.

Dainara smiled. Her eyes were full of tears.

- _Thank you, Nana. I promise that from now on I'll try to show you my love more often_.

Nana kissed her forehead.

- _That would be great. But now it's time for you to get ready before Alastor arrives_.

Dainara got up and made her way towards the stairs.

- _Make sure to wear your best dress and jewelry. After the incident with the Duke, it's better if you make a good impression on him_.

Dainara smiled faintly and went to her room. Now that Nana knew about her meeting with Alastor, she had to play along and wear her best clothes so that Nana wouldn't suspect anything.

She opened her wardrobe and chose a beautiful lavender dress and matching shoes. She then opened her jewelry box and picked a pair of diamond earrings along with a necklace.

She looked at herself in the mirror: she looked really elegant.

Someone started knocking the door nervously.

- _Dainara, are you ready? Alastor is here!_- said Nana from the other side of the door.

Dainara left her room immediately.

- _He's waiting for you in the gardens_.

Dainara went downstairs and made her way towards the main door.

The moment had arrived. She had to follow Lucious' plan and just wish for the best.

When she arrived at the gardens, she found Alastor admiring the flowers.

- _Good morning, Alastor_. _I hope I didn't inconvenience you by making you come here in such short notice_.

He turned around, looked at her for a few seconds and smiled.

- _You look absolutely beautiful, Dainara. Just to see your beauty, I would go to the end of the world if it was necessary_.

He then held her hand gently and kissed it.

- _I was quite surprised when your guard came to my palace to announce me that you wanted to see me, especially after our last meeting_.

- _I'm sorry if in our last meeting I was too harsh. It was not my intention to hurt you_.

He held both her hands.

- _Don't worry about that now, my lady. I'm just glad that you have changed your mind about us_.

She pulled her hands away from his.

- _I haven't_- she said firmly- _I have sent for you because there's someone I want you to meet_.

Alastor frowned and looked around the gardens, expecting someone to appear among the flowers.

- _Not here, come with me_.

Dainara and Alastor left the palace and walked across forests and hidden paths until they arrived at a crystalline lake.

- _Where are we?_ - asked Alastor.

- _Sandwood Lake_- she replied- _No one will disturb us here_.

- _And who am I supposed to meet here? Your so called boyfriend?_

- _The very same_.

Lucious jumped from the tree branch he had been sitting down on while he waited for them to arrive.

Alastor looked at Lucious with disdain.

- _This must be a bad taste joke, I hope_- he said.

- _Oh, and I'm glad to meet you too, Mr Noble_- said Lucious bowing down.

- _A pirate? The man you are in love with is a filthy pirate?_

- _Well, since you are asking so nicely I'll humor you. Yes, I am indeed a pirate. Now, the "filthy" part, I'm afraid I have to disagree_.

Alastor looked at him arrogantly.

- _Who gave you permission to address me so casually, pirate?_

Lucious smirked.

- _Well, in other circumstances I would gladly "My Grace" you and I would follow all the necessary protocol just to greet you_- he approached Alastor defiantly- _But since you are trying to steal my one true love from me, I believe I can call you whatever I please_.

- _Get away from her! Women like Dainara are not meant for criminals like you!_

Lucious approached him even more.

- _She doesn't love you and never will. We are in love with each other and I'd rather die than lose her_- he said firmly.

- _Then die!_

Alastor unsheathed his sword and attacked Lucious, who evaded his attacks nimbly.

Dainara watched the scene in horror.

- _Alastor! Please, stop it!_- she cried.

Lucious quickly unsheathed his own sword and the two men started fighting fiercely.

- _You're never going to defeat me, pirate! I had the best swordmasters of Albion!_

- _Oh, really? Then I hope they taught you how to accept defeat too_.

Both of them were quite skilled and it seemed like neither would lose.

Dainara was really scared.

- _Please, stop! There's no point in fighting!_

The two men didn't hear her words.

- _She's not meant to be with a pirate!_

- _Oh, you're wrong my dear friend. She's not meant to be with someone she doesn't love…and that would be you_.

Alastor was trying to find a flaw in his fighting but Lucious was way too skilled.

- _What do you want her for? To add her to your list of conquests?_

This remark made Lucious especially angry. He fought even more fiercely than before, forcing Alastor to walk backwards. Alastor stepped on a pebble and lost balance for a second, but it was just enough for Lucious to disarm him.

Alastor fell to the floor and looked at Lucious with fear. He put his sword on Alastor's neck.

- _I love Dainara. I love her more than anything in this world and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. If she was in love with you, despite all my feeling for her, I would let her go because her happiness is the only thing that matters for me. That's what true love is, and I just discovered it thanks to her_.

Alastor remained silent, looking at the sword on his neck.

Lucious sheathed his word and stretched his hand to help him up.

- _I thought you were going to kill me_.

- _Not every pirate is a murderer; you should know that before judging_.

Alastor looked down.

- _Now, I hope that you cancel this wedding as soon as you come back to your palace_- continued Lucious.

Alastor didn't reply.

Lucious approached Dainara and hugged her.

- _Are you alright?_

She nodded.

- _Then, let's go_.


	18. Chapter 18

Lucious and Dainara were sitting on a pile of hay inside the abandoned barn, right outside Oakvale.

She was still shocked after witnessing the fight between Lucious and Alastor, even though she had soon realized that Lucious wouldn't lose the duel: he was more skilled than she had imagined.

Lucious had put his arm around her and caressed her hair softly.

- _Don't worry, my love. It is over now_- he said sweetly.

- _I just wish it hadn't come to this_- replied Dainara sadly- _Not only did I reject him again, but you defeated him in the duel too. Now both his heart and his pride must be shattered_.

- _Darling, it had to be done, he wasn't exactly open to discussion_.

Dainara sighed heavily.

- _I know…It's just that…_

- _I know how you feel. But you shouldn't blame yourself for anything; you didn't cause any of this. I know breaking his heart really hurt you, but would you renounce your happiness in order to prevent it?_

- _No_- she said firmly- _I would never do that. I wouldn't be able to marry him, I love you so much_.

Lucious caressed her cheek and smiled.

- _I am nothing but a poor pirate. But I'm going to make you happy, I promise_.

He approached her lips and kissed her.

Dainara smiled. Although the duel had been a terrible experience for her, finally this arranged marriage affair was over. Lucious was by her side, he'd always be, and nothing wrong could ever happen to her because he'd always protect her.

- _As much as I'd like to be here with you forever, I'm afraid that you should return to your palace_- said Lucious- _It's almost noon, surely your Nana is expecting you for lunch_.

With all the emotions she had felt throughout the morning, she had totally lost track of time.

- _Oh, that's true! She'll get really worried if I don't return soon_- she then looked at Lucious- _But…what about you? Where will you go? Is your ship here?_

Lucious smirked.

- _Don't worry about me, my dear. A pirate always has places to go_.

Dainara looked at him, not fully convinced of his claim.

Lucious got up and offered his hand to her.

- _Come on, you'll be late. I'll walk you to your palace_.

She placed her hand on his and the couple walked towards Oakvale.

Before they reached the palace's gates, Lucious stopped walking.

- _Well, I don't think I should proceed further_.

Dainara looked at him with surprise.

- _Why not? What's wrong?_

Lucious smiled faintly.

- _I don't think your guards would be so pleased to see you in the company of a pirate_.

- _I don't care what the guards think! You don't have to hide from anyone!_ - replied Dainara angrily.

Lucious took her hands.

- _One day, my darling. One day we won't need to hide our love from anyone. But right now, it would only cause you problems_.

Dainara didn't want to hide her love for Lucious, but she knew he was right. She had already given Alastor so much grief after telling him the truth and she didn't want anyone else to suffer because of her.

- _When will I see you again?_ - she asked, feeling afraid of the answer.

He smirked.

- _Well, it depends…how good are you at sneaking out of your palace?_

- _I don't know…I've never done it. Why do you ask?_

- _Because if you can, I'd love to take you somewhere this evening. But you'd have to meet me at the abandoned barn a bit before sunset. Do you think you can make it?_

Dainara didn't know what to say. She really wanted to spend as much time as possible with him, but she had never sneaked out of her palace…what if she got caught? What would she do?

- _Well?_ - he asked.

- _Alright_- she said finally- _I'll be there_.

He smiled happily.

- _Good then_- he kissed her cheek sweetly- _I'll see you later, my princess_.

As soon as he disappeared among the trees, Dainara ran towards the palace's main door.

The palace was as busy as always. The servants greeted Dainara politely while she made her way towards the dining-room. A handful of servants were setting the table, placing delicious dishes on it, but Nana was not among them.

Dainara approached a young servant.

- _Mary, have you seen Nana?_

- _She went to the market to buy some bread. She'll be back soon_- said the young servant with a smile.

Dainara felt somehow relieved to know that Nana was not there. She knew that sooner or later she would have to tell her about Alastor, but right now she didn't feel like talking about it.

- _Your lunch is ready, Your Grace_- continued the young servant- _You may join the table whenever you please_.

Every servant of the palace would join Dainara in the dining-room to have lunch and dinner. Even though she was a noble, Dainara enjoyed sharing her table with them. They were, after all, the only "family" she had left…

- _You can start without me. Today I prefer to have lunch in my room, if it's not too much trouble. I feel very tired_- replied Dainara.

- _As you wish, Your Grace. I'll take it up to your room in a minute. Is there anything else you require?_

- _As a matter of fact, yes_- said Dainara- _Don't call me "Your Grace", please. We all live under the same roof, there's no need for formalities_.

The young servant smiled shyly.

- _Of course, Your…Dainara. I'm sorry_.

Dainara smiled back at her and went to her room.

While she had lunch, she started planning how to sneak out of the palace in the evening. Generally, she would go to bed early, but never before sunset, so she had to think of a reason to go to bed earlier so that no one noticed her absence.

After lunch, she played with Oakleaf and chose the clothes she would wear for her date with Lucious. She wanted to look good for him, but she knew that she didn't need ornate dresses or expensive jewelry to please him.  
She chose a simple but beautiful green dress and a cute hair clip to tie her hair.

In the afternoon, she left her room and went downstairs. She supposed that Nana had returned to the palace hours ago, and it surprised her that she hadn't gone up to her room to ask her about Alastor.

She entered the kitchen and found Nana washing some dishes.

- _Oh, hello, my child. Mary told me that you were tired, so I didn't want to disturb you. Have you rested well?_

- _Yes, I have_- replied Dainara, wishing that she didn't ask about Alastor next.

- _Good_- smiled Nana.

- _I'm going for a walk around the gardens_- said Dainara rushing towards the door.

- _Wait!_ - said Nana- _How did it go with Alastor? I'm sure he has already forgiven you for the initial rejection. This young man loves you very much_.

Dainara looked at Nana. She could see the happiness and expectation in the old nursemaid's eyes, and it made her unable to say a word.

- _Well, actually…_- she muttered.

A firm knock on the main door interrupted her, for which she was thankful.

- _Who must it be?_ - said Nana while she made her way towards the door to open it.

Dainara followed her.

A small group of guards, all elegantly dressed and carrying banners, stood in front of them.

- _Good afternoon, my dear ladies_- said one of the guards, who was holding an ornamented piece of paper- _We are here on behalf of the Duke of Shalefields and his son Alastor. We'd like to deliver this document to Dainara of Oakvale_.

Dainara was shocked and almost afraid to read the document. After what had happened…what would Alastor have told his father?

- _It's me_- she said- _I'm Dainara of Oakvale_.

- _My lady, we are here to give this official document along with a personal note written by the Duke himself_.

Dainara frowned.

- _What is this document about?_

- _It is an official document where the Duke and his son agree to cancel the wedding, my lady_.

- _What!?_- said Nana alarmed- _What is going on? Why did they cancel the wedding?_

- _That was Lady Dainara's wish, madam_- said the guard politely.

Nana looked at Dainara, not believing what she had just heard.

- _Dainara…_

Nana went inside the palace.

The guard gave her the documents and left.

Dainara ran after Nana.

- _Nana!_ - she shouted- _Nana, wait, please!_

She caught up to her and grabbed her arm.

- _I'm so sorry. I meant to tell you but I just didn't have the chance_.

The disappointment on Nana's face was killing her.

- _It doesn't matter whether you told me or not_- Nana was holding her tears- _Why did you do that? Why? He was the best husband a woman could ever have!_

- _I know, Nana, but I just couldn't marry him! You must understand!_

- _Every girl on Albion would have died to be in your shoes! You wouldn't have had to worry about your future anymore, you would have had a luxurious castle, more servants than you can count, a devoted husband…what else would you want?_

- _How about love?_ - Dainara shouted- _I don't love him, I would have never loved him!_

- _Stubborn child! Why are you so sure you would never love him if you didn't even give him a chance?_

- _Because I love someone else!_

The words had escaped Dainara's lips even though she hadn't meant to say them.

Nana was shocked.

- _What? What are you talking about?_

Now she had said it and it was too late to deny it.

Dainara sighed.

- _I'm in love with someone else_.

Nana was speechless.

- _Who…who are you in love with?_ - she managed to say at last.

- _You don't know him_- replied Dainara, avoiding Nana's eyes.

- _And for how long have you been…seeing this person?_

- _Almost two months_- said Dainara, still unable to look at her.

- _Two months…_- mumbled Nana- _This is a considerable amount of time, why haven't I seen you with him in all this time?_

- _Because he was not always here. He was…travelling._

Nana frowned.

- _Travelling? What does he do for a living? Is he a soldier? A merchant?_

Dainara knew that she just couldn't tell Nana that her boyfriend was a pirate. She would get really upset and probably would forbid her from leaving the palace by herself even again.

She really didn't want to lie to her, but there was no other option.

- _Yes_- she said as firmly as she could- _He's a merchant_.

Nana looked at her severely for a few seconds and sat down on a chair.

- _A merchant…where would you meet a merchant? You only go to your hidden lake_.

- _One day I decided to go to the marketplace for a change. That's where we met_.

Every lie that she said burnt in her tongue like poison. But it was necessary, she couldn't tell her the truth, not yet.

- _I see_- replied Nana- _But Dainara, my child, are you sure this young man truly loves you? Merchants travel to a lot of places, maybe…_

- _I know how he feels about me_- Dainara interrupted- _And I know how I feel about him_.

She approached Nana and sat down next to her.

- _And I know that we will be together forever, Nana. We are really in love_.

Nana still looked worried, but seeing how sure Dainara was of her feelings, she couldn't help but smile.

- _Your happiness is the most important thing for me, my sweet child. I'd rather if you married someone like Alastor, but if a humble merchant males you happy…then I'm happy too_.

Dainara hugged her.

- _Thank you, Nana_. _I knew you'd understand_.

Still embracing Nana, she looked at the window. The sun was quite down on the sky. Soon it would be sunset.

She got up quickly.

- _It's been a stressful day, I feel exhausted. I think I'm going to bed_.

- _So soon? What about dinner?_

- _I'm not really hungry. All these emotions have made me lose my appetite_.

Nana raised her eyebrows.

- _Well…alright. I'll leave some food in the kitchen just in case you get hungry later_.

- _Thank you. Good night, Nana_.

She ran up to her room and closed the door.

The sun was losing its bright yellow color and was turning orange by the minute.

She didn't want to be late; she couldn't miss the chance to spend the evening with Lucious.

She just hoped that her plan to leave the palace worked…


	19. Chapter 19

Dainara left her room and closed the door behind her.

She looked around the corridor: it was totally empty.

- "Alright Dainara, you can do it"- she whispered to herself.

Leaving the palace through the main door was out of the question since it was heavily guarded. On the other hand, she couldn't use the back door on the main floor either, Nana and the other servants might be around there doing their chores…

She made her way slowly to the other side of the corridor, holding her shoes to avoid making any noise, and opened an old-looking door.

The door led to a storage room filled with old furniture and decorative objects which hadn't been used in a very long time.

For someone who didn't know the place, it looked like a little room with a little round window close to the roof, but otherwise a dead-end.  
But Dainara knew this room pretty well. When she was younger, she'd love to play hide and seek around the palace with Nana and this room was the best place to hide from her. That's how she had discovered a little trap door which was hidden below a big table and that led directly to the back gardens. She never knew why this trap door existed and she never asked because she didn't want Nana to know her little secret to winning every hide and seek game they played.

Dainara kneeled down and crawled below the table. She opened the trap door carefully and looked at the stairs which would take her to the back gardens.  
It had been years since she had last used this door…what if someone had noticed it and they had walled it off from the other side?

She started feeling insecure about her ability to sneak out of the palace. Even if she managed to reach the gardens, what would she do then? How would she manage to jump over the fence which surrounded it? She had been thinking about it all day, but the only way she could think of was to somehow sneak through the main gate.

- "I can't do this…I'm going to get caught"- she thought.

She sat down on the floor, right next to the trap door and put her head between her legs.

- "I'm a coward…"

Suddenly, she felt something falling from her pocket and hitting the floor. When she turned around to see what it was, she saw the wooden figurine that Lucious had given her lying next to her.

She picked it up and caressed it.

- "I'm sorry"- she said looking at it sadly.

As she was holding the figurine, an orange sunray entered through the little window and made it shine. It looked really beautiful under the sunlight and it made Dainara feel really at peace.

- "I shouldn't be afraid. You are with me, you will protect me"

She put the little figurine back in her pocket and entered the trap door.

When she reached the end of the stairs, she felt the wall until she found the slot which opened the way out.

Soon, she found herself in the back gardens of the palace.  
This area was not really guarded; only three guards were posted on each side of the fence. Dainara got close to the wall and made her way to the main gate. She walked as silently as possible and looked around to spot the guards.

Finally, she reached the end of the wall. From her position, she could clearly see the main gate, as well as the group of guards posted there. There were too many guards in the area…what could she do? She looked around and realized that the only thing she could do was hiding behind the trees and plants of the garden and try to sneak past them. It was risky, but there was no other way.

She took a deep breath and made her way towards a nearby tree.  
She was so anxious to reach the tree that she didn't see a branch which lied on the floor. She stepped on it and fell to the floor, hitting it loudly.

- "Ouch!"- she shouted.

- "What was that?"- said of the guards.

- "It came from there"- said another guard, pointing at Dainara's direction.

Dainara got pale. She got up quickly but didn't know where to go. They were going to catch her…Lucious would be waiting for her in vain. Probably he would think that she had stood him up…or worse, that she's was so useless that she couldn't even sneak out of her own palace.

Suddenly, a hand from behind covered her mouth and someone pushed her back to the palace's wall, hiding her among the shadows.

Dainara struggled for a bit and tried to shout.

- "Shhh"- the person holding her whispered to her ear.

Dainara was very frightened. She didn't know what this person wanted from her…could it be a kidnapper? That's just what she needed…

A few minutes later, the guards had given up their search and they returned to their posts.

As soon as they left, the person holding her got up and went in front of her

- "Well, I must say you would make a rather lousy thief, my dear".

- "Lucious!"- she said happily- "What are you doing here?"

- "I was waiting for you in the abandoned barn when I had this funny feeling that you needed my help".

- "And I really needed it! If you hadn't come, right now I'd be in my room trying to explain Nana how I managed to leave the palace unseen".

- "Well, then it's so fortunate that we have this special bond that tells us when the other needs our help. If you are ever in danger, I'll be there to rescue you"- he smiled- "I'm just sorry I scared you so much".

Dainara smiled back.

- "It's alright. You rescued me after all".

Lucious got up and held her hand.

- "Come on, we are going to be late".

- "Late for what?"- she asked with curiosity.

- "You'll see"- he smirked.

Lucious moved nimbly among the shadows, avoiding every guard around the palace.  
Soon, they reached the fence.

- "There's no way out, Lucious"- said Dainara- "The only way out is the main gate".

- "And the back gate"- he added- "That's our way out".

Dainara hadn't even considered the back gate as a possible way out. This gate, even though it was not very well guarded, had been locked tightly for as long as she could remember.

- "But this gate is locked!"

- "Was"- he said with a smirk- "I took care of that on my way in".

Dainara remained speechless for a few seconds and then smiled.

- "I shall never underestimate your skills again".

- "I'm glad to hear that"- he smiled- "Now, I want you to pay close attention: I'm going to throw a stone at the opposite direction. When the guards go to investigate, we must run quickly towards the gate".

He picked a stone from the floor and looked at Dainara.

- "Are you ready?"

Dainara nodded firmly. Now that Lucious was with her, she felt that nothing could go wrong.

Lucious threw the stone and the guards immediately went to investigate the noise.

- "Run!"- said Lucious pulling her.

The couple quickly reached the gate and left the palace's premises.

They went on running until they were quite far from the palace and no one could see them until they reached a big tree, where they stopped to catch some air.

- "I can't believe we made it!"- said Dainara laughing happily.

This experience was new for her and she was enjoying it quite a lot. She had been spending her days between the palace and Sandwood Lake for far too long, and this new adventure was refreshing.

She looked at Lucious, who seemed so happy to see her so excited.

Suddenly, she noticed that he was not wearing his usual pirate clothes. Instead, he was wearing an elegant white silk shirt, dark brown pants and black leather boots which looked quite new.

He looked amazingly handsome. Dainara couldn't take her eyes off him.

- "You are not wearing your pirate clothes"- she said.

- "Well, I just can't wear those rags for a date with you, can I? Do you like my new clothes?"

- "They are fine. You look…very nice on them"- she said blushing a bit.

He smirked and approached her.

- "Just very nice? I was hoping for a better compliment?"- he teased.

- "Well, you are…perfect. You look very handsome"- she said, barely able to look at his eyes.

He caressed her face and raised her chin.

- "Then we make a perfect match, my love. You look ravishing, my love".

He kissed her sweetly and held her hand again.

- "Come, we are about to arrive".

The couple walked through a thick forest which Dainara didn't recognize. She didn't really know where she was, but she didn't care about that because Lucious was there with her.

Suddenly, Lucious stopped walking and turned to her.

- "Close your eyes".

- "Why?"

- "Just trust me".

Dainara smiled and closed her eyes.

He held her hand and guided her for a few seconds.

- "You can open them now".

Dainara opened her eyes and what she saw amazed her.

She found herself in a little area of the forest filled with colorful flowers which shined brightly under the orange sun. A little lake lied among them, its water so transparent that you could see dozens of little fishes swimming around.  
Beautiful blue and green birds flew among the trees, singing a sweet melody that Dainara had never heard before.  
The scenery was really breathtaking.

- "This is absolutely beautiful"- she said.

Lucious smiled and hugged her from behind.

- "I used to come here when I was a child. Seeing the sunset here is amazing. I always thought it was the best place on all of Albion. But I was wrong"- he said.

- "It's a wondrous place, you weren't wrong!"

- "But I was"- he continued- "You were not here with me, so how could it be?"

She smiled and leaned her head on his.

- "Come, let's sit by the lake to enjoy the sunset"- he said- "I even brought us some dinner".

He picked a little basket which was hidden behind some bushes.

- "You shouldn't have troubled yourself!"- said Dainara.

- "Well, once you gave me some breakfast. It's just fair that now I give you dinner, don't you think?"

He opened the basket. It was filled with all kinds of delicious food.

- "I know it's not a lot, but at least we won't be hungry".

- "What are you talking about? It's just perfect!"

They sat down and enjoyed the view while having dinner.

For the first time in a very long time, Lucious felt truly happy: he was in a perfect place with the woman he loved. He wanted this happiness to last forever, he wanted to be by her side forever, he didn't want it to ever end…

Dainara looked at the horizon and smiled happily. The breeze waved her hair graciously.  
Lucious caressed her hair sweetly.

- "I love you"- he said.

- "I love you too, Lucious".

- "I'm always going to be by your side, I want you to know that. No matter what, I'm always going to be with you".

_The balverines surrounded him and he couldn't do anything about it. His sword…where was his sword? They were approaching him dangerously…he was going to die, just like his parents. He wouldn't sail again, he wouldn't see Dainara again…_

- "Lucious? Are you alright?"

Dainara caressed his face, which had turned totally pale.

- "I'm sorry…I don't know what happened".

Dainara looked at him with a worried expression.

- "It's not the first time I see this look in your face"- she said- "I've seen it before, right after you came back from Witchwood Island. Did something happen there?"

Lucious faked a smile. He didn't want to tell her anything about his incident, he didn't want to worry her.

- "Nothing that I couldn't handle. Don't worry, darling".

- "Don't lie to me, Lucious. Have you already forgotten about the special bond that we share? I know there's something worrying you".

Lucious just looked down but didn't reply.

- "I care for you, my love. Please, trust me, tell me what's troubling you".

- "It's nothing, really. I just had…an unpleasant encounter with some balverines".

Dainara got alarmed.

- "By Avo! Balverines!"

- "But nothing happened, I'm fine. It's just that…since then I have been thinking that if I died…"

Dainara held his hands.

- "Don't think of such things! You are not going to die. You are a very skilled pirate, I saw you fighting in the duel. Nothing could kill you so easily".

Lucious forced a smile.

- "You're right, I'm sorry, it's just a silly thing. But let's not spoil our date with such thoughts, my dear. Let's celebrate that your arranged wedding will soon be cancelled".

- "Oh, I forgot to tell you. This afternoon some guards of the Duke of Shalefields came on his behalf to my palace to bring me an official document where they agree to cancel the wedding".

She reached for her pocket and took out a little piece of paper carefully bended.  
With all the excitement she had totally forgotten about it.

- "They also gave me this. It's a note written by the Duke, but I haven't read it yet".

- "Then what are you waiting for? Open it, let's read it"- said Lucious with curiosity.

Dainara opened the note and read it out loud.

_My dearest Dainara, _

_This morning I have been informed of your firm desire to cancel your wedding with my son Alastor. It really saddens me that you don't wish to be part of our noble family, going against your late father's wishes._

_This wedding would have been very beneficial for both you and me, but I wouldn't want to force a young lady to do something she doesn't want to do. That's why I have decided to officially cancel this wedding._

_I hope that this affair doesn't affect any future cooperation between us. If you ever need my assistance, I'll be happy to help you._

_Duke of Shalefields_

- "Well, this sounds perfect"- said Lucious- "Almost too good to be true".

- "The Duke has always been a good friend of my father. I suppose he wouldn't wish me any bad just because I refused to marry his son"- replied Dainara- "Plus, you gave Alastor quite a fright with your fighting skills".

- "And I would do it a thousand times more if he dared to steal you from me ever again".

Dainara laughed happily and lied down on the grass.

- "I can't believe it's over!"

Lucious leaned on her and smiled.

- "You managed to get rid of Alastor but you will never manage to get rid of me, my sweet".

- "I surely hope not".

They kissed passionately while he caressed her hair and her face.

Lucious felt that he could be kissing her forever and he'd never get tired of it.  
He loved the touch of her skin and the taste of her lips. He loved her so much and he wanted to feel every inch of her body.

Instinctively, his hand made its way down her neck, reaching her chest and her waist.

Dainara pushed him away softly.

- "I'm sorry, I…"- she said shyly.

Her cheeks were burning red. She really loved Lucious but she just wasn't ready for that.

- "No, I am sorry. I shouldn't have…"- said Lucious- "It's just that kissing you made me realize how much I desire you and I didn't even think".

- "I desire you too, Lucious. But I've never done this before and I…I don't think I'm ready yet".

- "I understand, my love. It won't happen again, I promise. We'll wait until you are ready, I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable".

- "You could never make me feel uncomfortable. You make me happy".

- "And I'll never stop making you happy".

Lucious laid down on the grass and Dainara laid next to him, resting her head on his chest while they witnessed how the sun disappeared in the lake's waters and the sky slowly got filled with hundreds of stars.


	20. Chapter 20

Dainara woke up feeling something wet on her cheek. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw where this wetness was coming from.

- "Oakleaf! Get down, little girl! Let me sleep!"

She turned around on her bed and went on sleeping.

- "Meow! Meow!"

A soft paw touched her face.

- "Oakleaf! I'm so sleepy…"

She looked through the window, her eyes still half-opened. The sun shone really high on the sky. It must have been noon already.

Dainara got up quickly.

- "By Avo! I'm late!"

The previous night she had gone to bed really late. She had stayed in the forest with Lucious looking at the stars until midnight. Later, he had taken her to her palace and had helped her sneak back inside.  
Before parting ways, they had agreed to have lunch together in Sandwood Lake. They were supposed to meet there at noon and Dainara was going to be late.

She opened her wardrobe, picked the first dress she saw and got dressed quickly.

She went downstairs and found Nana in the kitchen preparing lunch with some servants.

- "Oh, finally! Today you really overslept"- laughed Nana- "You missed breakfast".

Dainara felt a bit ashamed.

- "I'm sorry, Nana. I was just very tired".

- "Don't worry, Dainara. At least you are on time for lunch. You can join the table already; lunch will be served in a few minutes".

Dainara was very nervous because she was late for her date with Lucious, but she didn't want Nana to notice it. She took a deep breath and approached her.

- "Actually, today I was planning on having lunch by the lake"- she said trying to sound as normal as possible.

Nana looked at her and raised her eyebrows.

- "It's already noon, dear. Why don't you leave that for some other day when you get up a bit earlier?"

- "No!"- she said a bit loudly.

Some servants looked at her with curiosity.

- "I really feel like going there today, Nana. After the recent events, I need some peace of mind and the lake provides me with it"- said Dainara more calmly.

Nana sighed.

- "Alright, I'll put your meal in a little basket, hold on a second".

- "Wait!"- said Dainara as firmly as her nerves allowed her to- "Could you add another meal? I'm really hungry".

Nana frowned.

- "Two meals? But you have never eaten two meals! Are you alright, child?"

- "Yes, of course I am. I'm just…hungry".

Nana crossed her arms.

- "He's here, isn't he? Your merchant boyfriend"- she said quietly so that no one else could hear her.

Dainara looked down. She was trying to find a good excuse for the two meals, but she realized that there was no point in hiding what Nana had already guessed.

She looked at Nana with begging eyes.

- "I'm already late…please".

Nana sighed and went to prepare the basket.

- "Be back before sunset"- she said while handing her the basket filled with food- "And tell him that I want to meet him. I need to see what kind of person he is".

- "Thank you, Nana!"

Dainara kissed her cheek and ran towards the door.

She ran as fast as she could to reach Sandwood Lake. When she arrived, she was breathless. She looked around: Lucious was nowhere to be found.

- "Oh, great…he left".

She put the basket on the floor and sat down by the shore.

- "Why didn't Nana wake me up? Didn't she see that it was too late to be in bed?"- she said, really upset.

Suddenly, an idea came to her mind.

- "Oh, wait a moment…"

She remembered that once she arrived late and Lucious was waiting for her sitting down on top of a tree. Maybe he was hiding there now, watching her from above.

Dainara smiled.

She got up and approached a big tree.

- "You fooled me once, but you won't fool me twice. I know you are there!"

No answer.

- "Come on, Lucious. Get down!"

She looked up but there was no one there.

She then looked around the bushes and the other trees.

- "I know you are hiding somewhere!"

She searched all around the place, but Lucious wasn't there.

- "He really left…"

She leant on the trunk of the tree, feeling so disappointed. She hit her head softly against the tree and felt something strange on it.

Dainara turned around and saw a little note attached to the trunk. She picked it with curiosity and read it.

"_If you are reading this note, it's because you are late. Arriving late to a date with a pirate is a high offense (especially if said pirate is as handsome as I am!). But there's a way I can forgive you…You are going to do a little pirate work for me.  
Somewhere in Barrow Fields there's a treasure that I want and you are going to get it for me. Since you are new to the pirate business, I have left you some notes along the way to help you.  
First, follow the path to your right until you reach a big rosebush.  
Good luck, my dear!"_

Dainara looked at the note for a few seconds and then laughed. This little adventure sounded like fun and she wanted to try it out. She picked her lunch basket and started walking through the path he had told her.

Soon, she found herself in front of a beautiful rosebush filled with bright pink roses. Among them, there was another note.

"_Loveable, aren't they? But nothing compared to you, my love.  
Go to the left until you find a little waterfall. Your next hint will be there"_

Dainara smiled and went to the left. The scenery around her was amazing. She was really enjoying it.

After a while, she arrived to the place the note mentioned. A little waterfall fell through one of the sides of a hill. She looked around, searching for the next note and she found it attached to the wall of the hill.

"_One could just look at this waterfall and feel at peace. So beautiful, so pure…That's how I feel when I look into your eyes.  
Follow the path straight until you find yourself in a field full of white flowers"_

She followed the path, eager to find the field the note mentioned.

Soon, she found it. The fragrance around it was really pleasant. She found the next note lying on some flowers.

"_Velvet daisies, a kind of flower only found in this part of Albion. They are the most beautiful flowers of the kingdom, yet their beauty seems insignificant now that you are among them.  
Go across the field until you find a river"_

The search didn't seem to be over, but Dainara didn't mind it: she was really having fun.

She went on walking until a river got in her way. On a nearby bush, right next to the river, she found another note.

"_Everything comes to an end, they say, even though my love for you will never end. But, unfortunately, this little adventure is ending now.  
Just follow the river's flow until you reach a clearing"_

Dainara followed his instructions and soon she found herself in one of the forest's clearings. In the middle of the clearing, there was a big X, a little shovel and a note. She picked the note and read it.

"_YOU made it! I knew you'd manage it. Now you only have to dig the spot marked with the X and you'll find the treasure.  
P.S. Before you start digging, take all the notes and put together every capital letter at the begging of each one. You'll find out the only truth of my life, the only thing I'll be always be certain of"_

Dainara took out of her pocket all the notes and put the letters together.

- "I…L…O…V…E…YOU…I love you".

She put the notes close to her chest and whispered.

- "I love you too, Lucious".

Then, she picked the shovel and started digging until she found a little wooden box.

Dainara wondered what was inside. She tried to open it.

- "I didn't say you could see what's inside, darling. A little curious, aren't we?"

Dainara turned around and saw Lucious smirking in front of her.

- "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to…"

She gave him the box and blushed.

- "Thank you, my lady"- he took the box and opened it- "Will you please give me your hand?"

Dainara gave him her hand and he placed a simple but beautiful ring on one of her fingers.

- "I know it's nothing really spectacular, but that's all I can offer you now"- he said.

Dainara was speechless. Even though the ring was very simple, for her it was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen.

- "One day I'll buy you a proper ring, one with which we can actually get engaged. This one is way too humble for such purpose, so let's just call it our relationship ring".

Dainara looked at him and smiled.

- "I love this ring, it's perfect. It's just perfect".

She kissed him sweetly.

Suddenly, she remembered about how late she had arrived to their date.

- "I'm very sorry for being late. I overslept…"

- "Oh, don't worry, my sweet. You gave me enough time to prepare this little adventure, so it turned out to be a good thing after all".

Dainara picked the food basket and took it to the middle of the green field, where she sat down. With this little adventure, she had even forgotten that she was hungry.

- "Let's have lunch. I'm starving!"

The couple started eating hungrily. It was way past lunch time and Dainara had never had lunch so late before. Since she had met Lucious, her life had changed radically, but she loved that.

- "This food is simply delicious. Your Nana is an excellent cook"- said Lucious helping himself to the food.

- "Yes, I love her food"- she replied, pleased to see that Lucious was really enjoying the meal- "You know…I told her about us. Well, not exactly, but she knows I have a boyfriend".

Lucious looked at her with curiosity.

- "Oh, really? And how did she react?"

- "Well, better than I expected. She even wants to meet you!"- she smiled.

Lucious smirked.

- "What did you tell her I do for a living? I guess you didn't tell her I'm a pirate, otherwise you'd be locked in your palace right now like a fairytale princess".

- "No, I didn't. I told her you're…well, a merchant"

She looked at him, waiting to see his reaction to this.

Lucious remained silent for a few seconds and then he laughed.

- "A merchant? That would be a curious thing to see! Can you imagine me as a merchant?"

Dainara laughed.

- "You know? Maybe I can pretend to be a merchant and you can introduce me to your Nana. But I can't be just any merchant; I must be an important one, selling something really precious"- he thought for a moment- "Hmm, I know, I'm going to be a book seller, the only one in all of Albion who sells the exclusive Hobbes Encyclopedia".

He got up and pretended to be a seller.

- "Ladies and gentlemen! Do you ever wonder where hobbes come from? Do you have troubling sleeping because you are afraid that these dirty little creatures will sneak into your house and destroy it? Worry no more! Here I present you the exclusive Hobbes Encyclopedia. Everything you ever wanted to know about hobbes and even more! Buy it now and get a free sample of hobbes' repellent!"

Dainara couldn't stop laughing. She was lying on the floor, holding her belly which hurt from laughing so much.

- "Oh, please, stop!"- she said.

- "Young lady, you look like you could use some of the knowledge my exclusive Hobbes Encyclopedia provides".

- "I think that Nana would prefer you to be a pirate rather than a Hobbes Encyclopedia seller. She would throw you out of the palace threatening you with a pan if you said such things!"

Lucious sat down next to her and laughed.

Suddenly, he remembered something and his laughter disappeared. There was something he had to tell her even though it was difficult for him, especially now that she looked so happy.

He looked at her and caressed her hair. He liked doing that, he loved the way her hair got tangled in his fingers.

- "My love…I'm leaving this evening".

Dainara's laughter disappeared suddenly. She got up from the floor and looked at him sadly. She wanted to complain, to ask him why he was leaving, to beg him not to leave; but she knew there was nothing she could do to prevent it.

- "When will you come back?"- she said trying to hide her deep sadness.

- "As soon as I can. But I can't tell you when exactly".

- "I see".

Dainara felt some tears wetting her eyes. These last few days had been perfect and she didn't want them to ever come to an end.

Lucious sat down right next to her and hugged her.

- "Don't be sad, my darling. I'll be back before you know it"- he held the hand in which she was wearing his ring- "Besides, now we'll always be together. Whenever you miss me, you just have to look at this ring and remember that wherever I am, I love you, always".

Dainara smiled sadly.

- "I just wished we didn't have to be apart".

He held her face and looked deeply into her eyes.

- "One day we won't have to be apart anymore, I promise. One day we'll be able to be always together. I'll buy a beautiful manor by the sea or overlooking a lake where we will start a family, I'll take you to have dinner to elegant restaurants and I'll buy you all the jewelry and dresses you want. This is a promise, and you know I never break my promises".

Dainara chuckled.

- "I don't need all this; I just need you to be happy".

They kissed passionately, the birds and the flowers being the only witnesses of their love.

The couple spent the rest of the afternoon together until the sun started turning orange. Then, they walked through the forest until they reached Dainara's palace, where they parted ways.

- "Goodbye, my love. I'll be back as soon as I'm able to, I promise".

- "And I'll be waiting for you".

They kissed one last time and he started making his way towards Bloodstone while Dainara looked at him disappearing in the distance.


	21. Chapter 21

It was already midnight when Lucious arrived to Bloodstone. The streets of the town were filled with low-life people everywhere he looked: several prostitutes wearing revealing dresses flirted with dirty-looking pirates, drunkards shouted senseless words and some men fought, sword in hand, probably to settle some kind of quarrel.

Lucious headed directly to The Leper's Arms, where he had agreed to meet with Captain André and the rest.

The tavern was really crowded and Lucious had trouble finding his friends amongst the dozens of noisy pirates. Finally, he spotted Captain Andre's hand waving at him from a dark corner of the room.

- "Yer late, kid"- said Silver holding a jug of dark beer.

- "I'm sorry"- said Lucious joining them- "I came walking all the way from Oakvale".

- "Don't worry, we aren't leaving for another two hours anyway"- said Captain André after taking a sip from his drink.

- "Oakvale? Ye were again in that blasted town? - said Silver frowning- "Why the hell are ye so damn interested in this place? Did ye go to yer old house to cry fer yer dead mommy and daddy?"

- "Don't you dare mention my parents again, you scum!"

Lucious got up and approached Silver threateningly.

- "Stop, Lucious!"- said Captain André pulling his arm- "He's just drunk, pay no attention to him".

Silver laughed, showing his dirty mouth filled with gaps and silver teeth.

- "Come on, Captain! Let our little pirate Reaver show me what he's got!"

- "I told you never to call me like that!"- said Lucious angrily.

- "Silver! That's enough!"- shouted the Captain- "If ye go on insulting Lucious, ye'll not come with us in our next adventure".

Silver smiled and went on drinking his beer.

- "Alright mates, who's thirsty?"

Morgan approached the table holding four jugs of rum. He spotted Lucious and smiled.

- "Hey, Lucious! Welcome back, my friend. You don't know what you have missed. We have really enjoyed our little holiday in Bloodstone".

Lucious smiled back. Even though he would have preferred it if Silver was not there, he was really happy to see Morgan and Captain André again.

- "I'm glad you had fun, Morgan. I would have liked to join you, but I had to go somewhere important".

- "Captain André told me that you went to Oakvale. What were you doing there? I can't imagine what fun things someone can do in that town".

Lucious hesitated before replying. He wanted to tell everyone about Dainara and how much he loved her, but he was not sure it was such a great idea. He was a pirate after all, he was bound to have enemies. What if one of them tried to hurt Dainara out of revenge? He couldn't risk it, he couldn't involve Dainara in such dangerous affairs.

He looked at Morgan, who awaited his answer with curiosity.

- "Well, Oakvale is my hometown so the day when we really make it big and become rich, that's where I'll retire. So I was looking around the town, planning where I'll build my future manor".

Morgan and Captain André laughed.

- "It's a little early to start making such plans, Lucious"- said the Captain- "But I'm happy to see that ye have so high expectations".

Suddenly, Silver got up and left his drink on the table.

- "This lovely display of friendship is making me sick. I'll see ye on the ship".

The three men ignored his remark and went on talking cheerfully while they enjoyed their drinks.

- "Well, I think it's time to get down to business"- said Captain André after a while- "Morgan and Silver already know the plan, so I'm going to tell ye too. While the crew enjoyed their holiday, I have been making enquiries about trouble around Albion so that I could find a nice opportunity for us to get a juicy reward".

Captain André looked around to make sure no one else was listening and went on explaining.

- "I have heard that there's some trouble in Brightwall. Apparently, they got more mercenaries that they can handle".

- "But I thought Brightwall was a garrison town. Can't a whole army defeat a bunch of mercenaries?"- said Lucious.

- "It appears that most of their soldiers are on a mission in Samarkand, so the town isn't that well guarded anymore. Probably this is why the mercenaries are attacking them just now"- replied Morgan.

- "The thing is that they don't want to ask fer help. Something to do with their soldier's honor and all that…so no one is helping them"- continued Captain André- "But I'm sure that if a group of skilled pirates show up suddenly and help them in secret, they'll be more than willing to give them a big reward to keep their mouths shut".

Lucious crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows.

- "And what makes you think they are going to accept our help?"

The Captain smiled.

- "Oh, they will, lad. If what I've heard is true, some soldiers are already dying".

Lucious remained thoughtful for a moment. It sounded like a good plan and not too difficult for them. The crew had been fighting mercenaries for years, and with the help of the soldiers, it was going to be an easy job.

- "Alright, so when do we leave?"

- "I have to pick up an item before we leave. Finish yer drinks and meet me outside"- said Captain André getting up and making his way towards the exit door.

Morgan looked at Lucious and smirked.

- "Hey, now that the Captain left, what do you say I ask these two minxes to join us? They can't take their eyes off us".

Lucious looked at the direction that Morgan was pointing and saw two women smiling at them. They looked classier than a prostitute but their clothes were equally revealing.

- "We must leave soon, Morgan"- said Lucious- "We don't have time for this".

Lucious had always liked flirting with women he met on his trips along with Morgan. But now things were different: he was deeply in love with Dainara and he didn't even want to look at another woman ever again.

- "Oh, come on! Just for a moment, to take some drinks with them".

- "Haven't you had enough women already? I'm sure you have been quite busy these last few days"- laughed Lucious.

- "You can never have enough women, my friend!"

- "Such a gentleman you are! But in any case we can't, I'm sorry".

Morgan looked at him with disappointment.

- "What happened to you? What happened to the man who would sneak into women's chambers to see them change clothes? Or the one who would bet with me about who would get the girl first?"

Lucious smiled.

- "I guess he matured"- he replied.

- "No! Come on, Lucious. You love women as much as I do! What happened?"

- "Maybe you should reconsider it too and start treating women as ladies instead of objects".

Morgan frowned and remained silent for a few seconds.

- "Oh, by Avo…"

- "What?"- asked Lucious, also frowning.

- "This can't be…"

- "What can't be?"

- "You are in love! You have someone special in your life!"

Lucious got pale suddenly. He smiled nervously.

- "What are you talking about?"

- "That's why you are rejecting this flirting opportunity. You would have never said no, you know it!"

Lucious could feel the palms of his hands wet with sweat.

- "That's ridiculous. I'm always travelling with you, where could I possibly meet a nice lady to fall in love with?"

- "In Oakvale! That's it! That's why you went there instead of joining us!"

Lucious was speechless. He wanted to convince Morgan that he didn't have any girlfriend, but his mind was blocked.

- "I…"

- "Lucious! Can I talk to ye fer a moment?"

Captain André approached the table holding a big package on his hands.

- "Of course"- said the young pirate, feeling so relieved that the conversation was over.

- "Morgan, head towards the ship. We'll meet ye there".

The Captain sat down next to Lucious.

- "I still remember the day when I found ye in that barn, so young and so scared. I took ye in out of pity, but soon I realized that ye would be a fine pirate one day"- he paused and smiled proudly- "I was worried about Witchwood Island, ye are a nice swordsman but ye don't have a lot of real fight experience and I didn't know how well ye would handle the situation. And trust me when I say that ye exceeded my expectations. Killing the troll with a single shot, fighting all these balverines by yerself…ye were better than most experienced pirates I know".

The mention of the balverines made Lucious remember his fears.

- "I have been training a lot, that's all. But even with all these skills I was still about to die".

- "But ye didn't die…and ye saved us all from this troll"- Captain André placed his hand on his shoulder- "There's something special about ye, lad. I don't know what it is, but yer fighting skills are way too good, almost like one of those legendary heroes!"

Lucious chuckled.

- "I'm not a hero, Captain. Just a pirate with some skills and a lot of luck".

- "I really believe what I said. That's why I want you to have this"- the Captain gave him the package he was holding.

Lucious opened it with curiosity and found a polished pistol inside. It looked quite rare and probably quite expensive.

- "This pistol belonged to my mentor. I've been guarding it since the day he died but I haven't been able to use it myself. This is a very powerful weapon, only meant fer excellent marksmen. This is why I'm giving it to ye".

- "But you are an excellent marksman, Captain! I have seen you in battle".

- "Not good enough fer this pistol, lad".

Lucious hesitated.

- "Keep it, son. Ye deserve it".

- "Thank you, Captain".

Captain André smiled proudly.

- "And about this mission…I know that mercenaries will be no match fer ye, but I know that ye have never killed a fellow human…Will ye be alright?"

Lucious hadn't thought of that. He was so used to stay behind or just go to steal something while the rest fought that he hadn't realized that now he was supposed to fight them too.

- "Well, I don't like killing. But as you always say, if the lives of innocent are at stake, we must protect them".

- "Or if yer own life is at stake, lad. Ye must save yer life at any cost".

Lucious smiled nervously.

- "Yes, of course. I will save my life…at any cost".

Captain André patted him on the back.

- "Alright, lad. Let's go".

When they arrived at the ship they found all the crew already waiting.

Captain André briefly informed the rest of the crew about the mission.

- "We'll sail until Greatwood, from there, we'll go on foot. And I want to make an announcement too. Since Balker is no longer with us, I have to choose another second in command. These last few days I've been thinking so much about this and I've reached a decision. My new second in command will be Morgan".

The crew cheered happily.

Morgan bowed to the Captain.

- "Thank you, Captain. I promise I will not disappoint you".

Silver got up from the barrel he was sitting on and left angrily.

Lucious was really happy for Morgan. He approached him and patted on his back.

- "Congratulations, Morgan. You deserve it".

- "Thank you, Lucious. As you can see, I'm beating you again"- he teased.

Lucious smirked.

- "We'll see about that, my friend. Who laughs last, laughs best".

The ship set sail for Greatwood. The trip was long but the waters were calm and they enjoyed the journey.

Lucious spent his time examining his new weapon and talking to Morgan, the Captain and other crew members. He was really happy that Morgan didn't continue his enquiry about his girlfriend.  
Everyday at sunset, Lucious would look at the horizon and think about Dainara and how much he missed her. He would reach for his pocket to touch the medallion she had given him. He wished he could wear it, but pirate life was way too dangerous to be wearing such expensive jewels.

Five days after they left Bloodstone, they reached Greatwood.

- "Listen, mates!"- said Captain André- "Morgan, Lucious and me will go to Brightwall, but I need half of ye to come with us. This mission may prove dangerous, so I won't choose who's coming, I want volunteers".

- "What about me?"- Silver appeared among the crew members shouting- "Ye told me ye'd have me in the mission!"

- "Ye'll stay behind and be in charge of the ship while we are away".

- "This is not what ye told me, Captain! Ye said…"

- "Shut up, Silver! I've had enough of ye today! Do as I say!"

Silver left the scene angrily, bumping into the pirates on his way.

- "Well, who wants to join us?"- repeated Captain André.

The members of the crew looked at each other and hesitated. Finally, a tall bald man who had a jolly roger tattooed on his arm, stepped forward.

- "I will go with you, Captain"- he said firmly.

- "Thank ye, Skull".

After that, more pirates joined Skull and soon Captain André had enough men to carry on his mission.

- "The rest of ye will stay here and guard the ship until we return. Silver will be with ye".

The group of pirates walked across Greatwood Forest. Crossing the forest was easier than they had expected. The only enemies they encountered were some giant wasps, a couple of nymphs and some lost hobbes, which they dispatched quickly.

A few hours later, they spotted Brightwall's walls in the distance. They got as close as they could and stopped.

- "Alright, lads"- said the Captain- "I will go with Morgan and Lucious to talk to whoever is in charge here. In the meantime, find hiding places around the wall and wait for my signal. We can't all go there together; they'll attack us for sure".

Everyone went to their positions while the Captain, Morgan and Lucious approached the main gate. As they were approaching it, Lucious felt uneasy. Memories from his previous mission invaded his mind.

"_It won't happen again"_ he said to himself _"You are a skilled pirate. You won't die…you won't die"_.

He took a deep breath.

- "Are you ok?"- asked Morgan, looking at him with a worried face.

- "Yes, I'm fine"- replied Lucious faking a smile.

The gate stood in front of them.

- "Who goes there?"- someone shouted.

The three pirates looked up and saw a soldier on top of an outpost, right outside the town's gates. He was holding a shotgun, which was pointing at them.

Lucious and Morgan unsheathed their weapons immediately, but the Captain asked them to sheathe them again.

- "Good day, sir"- said Captain André- "We mean no harm; we just want to speak to the man in charge of this town".

- "What do you want from him?"- said the soldier, still holding his shotgun.

- "We've heard about yer problem with the mercenaries. We want to help".

The soldier frowned.

- "We don't need any help. Go away!"

Captain André smiled.

- "That's not what I've heard, sir".

- "You are pirates, aren't you? What makes you think we want the help of some outlaws?"- said the soldier, looking at them with disdain.

- "What's going on, Wilkins?"

A man appeared on top of an outpost behind the walls. He was dressed as a soldier but the colors of his uniform were different and he had dozens of medals attached to it.

He looked at the pirates.

- "Who are you?"

Captain André stepped forward and bowed.

- "I'm Captain André of the Intrepid, sir. I've heard about the problems ye are having with the mercenaries and we want to help ye".

- "Sir, they are pirates. I have already asked them to go away, we don't need their help".

- "I'll be the one deciding that, soldier"- said the man firmly.

He went closer to the wall and looked at the pirates suspiciously.

- "And why would you want to help us?"

- "Well, a nice reward for our efforts wouldn't hurt".

The man remained silent for a moment and sighed deeply.

- "I'm Major Marshall. In normal circumstances I wouldn't allow pirates to help us, but we are really desperate. In any case, don't expect a big reward, Captain. Only the three of you won't be much help".

Captain André laughed.

- "How about this?"

He whistled loudly and the rest of the crew left their hiding places.

Wilkins took his shotgun and pointed at them again nervously.

- "Put this down, Wilkins"- said the Major.

He looked at the group of pirates and smirked.

- "I see you came prepared".

- "So, do we have a deal?"- said Captain André.

Major Marshall hesitated for a moment.

- "Sir you can't really be considering…"- said Wilkins.

- "Alright"- the Major turned around- "Open the main gate! We have reinforcements!"


End file.
